


Through the Pages

by mggislife2789



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Alternate Universe - Victorian, F/M, Jack the Ripper - Freeform, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Time Travel, Victorian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-07-25 07:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 53,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16193321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mggislife2789/pseuds/mggislife2789
Summary: When the Bureau forces everyone to indulge in the time off that they’ve accrued, Spencer decides to be the first of the BAU to take his time and drown himself in books, coffee, Chinese food and Doctor Who. Just a day into his vacation, he visits the Library of Congress, where he finds a book that is seemingly out of place in the historically-based research library. Intrigued by the fictional tale, Through the Pages, of a man who travels back in time 200 years and meets his soulmate, Spencer decides to take the book home not realizing the secrets it entails or the places he’ll go - specifically late-1800s Victorian England.Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or their original stories. This is only for fun. It's where my brain goes after the credits roll. No copyright intended. Better safe than sorry. ;)





	1. Chapter 1

“So, kid, have anything special planned for your two weeks off?”

After a boring Bureau-wide meeting in which they were all told that if they had time off they had to take some, Spencer decided to be the first of the BAU to take advantage. 

Rossi insisted on being last and was actively trying to find a way to give his days off to someone else and Morgan was next in line. “What does the brainiac do in his free time?”

“Exactly what you’d expect,” Spencer said, laughing off the assumption that he was boring and predictable. Who was he kidding? He was. But for the most part, he liked himself, so he took what everyone believed in stride. “I’m going to play through some more permutations in chess. Go to the library and read. Order in Chinese food. Binge Doctor Who on Netflix. My usual.”

“Come on, kid!” Morgan laughed as he leaned back in his chair and spun around. “Nothing special planned? You should take a road trip or something.”

He’d thought about it. Packing up a small bag and just hitting the road with no destination in mind, but after all these years with the BAU, he wanted some comfort and consistency in his time off, which meant doing what he always did. He was practically giddy with excitement at the thought of binging Doctor Who while stuffing some delicious, greasy lo mein in his face. 

“Another time. I see towers of books, Chinese food, pizza and the TARDIS in my future.”

“And your past and present,” Emily laughed. “In the craziness that is our lives, it’s comforting to know that some things never change.”

Consistency. Late mornings, numerous cups of coffee, greasy junk food. 

It was going to be awesome.

\----

Later that day, after Spencer and his team wasted the last few hours of the workday contemplating the place they wanted to visit most in the world, it was time to clock out. 

On the way out, he promised Garcia that he wouldn’t fall off the face of the earth during the upcoming two weeks and then parted ways with her to go find his car in the midst of the sea of Bureau vehicles sitting in the garage. 

It was the lightest he’d felt in years. Even the stale smell of the concrete garage was welcoming – probably because he knew he wouldn’t have to smell it for another couple weeks. 

What to do first?

For a moment, he just sat in his car wondering what to do. “Chinese food,” he mumbled to his reflection in the rearview mirror. A giant container of lo mein, those crunchy noodles crushed on top, an egg roll or two, all way more than he could eat in one sitting which meant cold Chinese food for breakfast in the morning. 

As he sat and waited for his food order, Spencer stared happily into his phone. He hadn’t been to the Library of Congress in quite some time so tomorrow morning after waking up, he’d head over there. “Why so happy?” He heard someone ask.

He looked up to see a young woman with wavy brown curls sitting at a table across the restaurant presumably waiting for her order too. “Sorry, ignore me. I tend to cross boundaries when I don’t mean to.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Spencer replied with a smile. “I’m happy because I have two weeks off from work. Paid vacation. And I get to do whatever I want, which for me means food and books and Doctor Who binging on Netflix.”

“That sounds amazing,” she replied as her name, Alana, was called. “What do you do for a living?”

He briefly explained his job with the BAU, clarifying that as ‘cool’ as it may have sounded it wasn’t always as amazing as people were led to believe. Spencer was good at his job – one of the best, and he was no longer afraid to say as much – but being surrounded by dead bodies and sick minds was absolutely, 100 percent not healthy on a 24/7 basis. 

Just as she was about to say goodbye, Spencer’s name was called, the delicious, heavy scent of lo mein snaking its way into his nostrils. “It was really nice meeting you, Alana,” he said with a small wave of his free hand. 

“You too, Spencer,” she replied. “Enjoy your vacation. Chinese food is my life’s blood so maybe I’ll see you around.”

“I know I’ll definitely be here a few times during the next two weeks,” he laughed.

And with that the two of them were out the door and going their separate ways. The scent of Chinese food wafted around him, mixing with the crisp smell of freshly cut grass and spring trees through the open car window. The combination of heavy and light shouldn’t have gone together, but it did and he found himself drifting into bliss on the drive home.

As he opened the door to his apartment, he practically bounded inside like a child on Christmas, placing his food on the kitchen counter before going to change into an old t-shirt and flannel pajama pants. He was all about comfort tonight. 

“My most comfortable t-shirt, baggy pants and Chinese food,” he sighed as he settled into the couch. “Just what I needed.”

Night fell on his apartment as he drowned himself in the familiar “doo-wee-oo” of the Doctor Who theme song. Despite what he’d originally thought, he’d powered through every bit of his dinner, which meant no cold Chinese food in the morning. Maybe he’d make pancakes instead. Blueberry. How long had it been since he’d made himself pancakes?

Years, he thought.

After gloriously neglecting his phone for a few hours, he turned to see a couple of text messages from Morgan, Garcia and JJ. They all said they hoped he had a nice vacation and that he deserved it. Morgan of course couldn’t help getting one last dig in.

 Going to bed early tonight?

Absolutely, he replied. Don’t be too jealous.

It was 10:30 on a Wednesday night and he was going to bed. 

Vacations were awesome.

\-----

A smile crept across his face when he felt the sun streaming in through the window the next morning. His eyes weren’t even open so he hadn’t looked at the clock yet. Coffee and blueberry pancakes, then a shower, then the library. It was going to be a good day. 

The heaviness of sleep tried to convince him to keep his eyes closed, but he wanted to get up and join himself. Through heavy lids, he saw the time – 8:37 AM. “Amazing,” he mumbled.

While the coffee brewed, Spencer took a super-quick shower and brushed his teeth, ready to stain them all up again with coffee the moment he got out. The blueberry pancakes were just as amazing as he’d imagined them. With food in his stomach, caffeine flowing through his veins and pep in his step, he caught a bus to DC and got out a few blocks away from Independence Avenue, deciding to walk the rest of the way to the Library of Congress.

It was a beautiful day out. There was barely a cloud in the sky, but the ones that were looked fluffy and benign like marshmallows. The sky was a particularly striking shade of blue and there was a slight breeze in the air. 

Turning the corner, he saw the striking architecture of the Library against the backdrop of a perfect, spring day. Yellow and red flowers bloomed on the front grounds and coaxed him closer.

Inside, he felt a wave of warm eagerness wash over him, like when he’d come home from school, his mother would be alert and attentive and she’d make him a crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It was one of the best feelings in the world and he’d fight anyone who said otherwise. 

From the outside, the Library of Congress looked like any old building, slightly more European in style and possibly a little out of place in the hustle and bustle of metropolitan DC, but on the inside it was so much more. Proof outside of humanity that looks could be deceiving. 

The main reading room was his favorite part with mile-high ceilings that weren’t actually a mile-high. In reality, they were 160 feet high if you counted from the floor to the top of the lantern that sat atop the dome or 125 feet from the floor to the top of the dome. Either way it was an astounding piece of architecture and Spencer had always found it comforting. Some people were intimidated by the feeling of being so small in comparison to the universe, but not him. It cemented his place in the world, no matter how small that place actually was.

Specific sections of the Library, he knew by heart. Unfortunately, the section on Victorian history wasn’t one of them, so after searching the archives he found himself walking up the stairs to the area in question. There were actually more books on the topic than he’d imagined all dedicated to different aspects of the time period. 

For hours, he found himself drawn to the later Victorian era, picking out books about the style of clothing, courting rituals and governmental policies when a smaller book bound in old leather fell off of the shelf and onto his foot. “Ow!”

He bent down and picked the book up off the floor, noting how there was no title on the cover. Actually, it looked more like a journal. When he opened the front cover, the heaviness of the leather binding feeling so foreign compared to the other lighter books he’d been handling over the last few hours, he saw three words.

\---  
Through the Pages

It was written in an unbelievably delicate script in an ink pen. Between that and the worn and tarnished pages, he was almost positive that this book was extremely old. The second page read:

For My Rose,

Though the circumstances of how we met will be permanently emblazoned in my mind, here on these pages, the world will know our love. 

Love,   
Your Benjamin  
\---

Still confused, Spencer inspected the little leather bound journal. There was no number to be found, no barcode that indicated it could be taken out. It was as if it wasn’t supposed to be there. Normally, he wasn’t a fiction reader, but the battered nature of the pages and its handwritten nature intrigued him so he slipped it into his messenger bag and decided to sit down with his research for a bit.

“Find everything you were looking for?” One of the clerks asked, pointing to his stack of books.

“And some,” he smiled. Considering how old the little book seemed to be, he didn’t want to ask if it actually belonged to the Library for fear that they wouldn’t let him take it out. His curiosity had been piqued.

On the bus back to his apartment he thought about what he’d read, now permanently fixed in his brain to recall whenever he wanted. Though much of what he’d read he knew already, the information somehow seemed new in the context of a book – the Whigs and the Tories, modern day liberals and conservatives, the Reform Acts of 1832, 1867 and 1884 that allowed the middle class to vote, Queen Victoria actually didn’t support education for women, child labor was at an all time high during the time because of the emergence of factories. All of it seemed new. He’d always believed that the wonder of a book could make the old seem new again.

Before he knew it, he’d lost himself in the ins and outs of Victorian government and had arrived down the block from his place. Since he knew he was going to be knee deep in the mysterious little book, he placed an order for pizza before he left the Library, so five minutes after he walked into his apartment it was at his front door. 

With so many words to devour, he stuffed a piece of pizza into his face and collapsed into the couch. It was nice having no time frame on anything. He could do whatever he wanted at whatever pace was most comfortable. 

Remembering the little leather-bound love story, Spencer reached into his bag and grabbed the book, flipping beyond what would’ve been known as the dedication page. The author, Benjamin, didn’t mince words – he just jumped right into it – something Spencer appreciated in fictional works. 

Nothing looked the same. One minute, I was sitting in my flat, staring out of the window from my grandmother’s old rocking chair and the next I was out on the street amidst the hustle and bustle of a port town. I had no idea where I was or how my life would change forever.

Spencer smiled to himself as continued to take in each word of the love-struck Benjamin. He’d never had that feeling – of finding one’s soulmate - and Benjamin seemed genuine. When he got to the bottom of the page, he flipped to the next one and glanced up.

In front of his couch stood a door that had appeared as if from nowhere. “What?” He got up and tentatively touched the handle, afraid of what it was or what it might do. How the hell had it even gotten here? Why was he not more panicked by this? Swallowing hard, he pushed it open, the book still in his other hand and walked through. 

Curiosity always did get the better of him for better or for worse.

Looking down, he saw himself wearing clothes that weren’t his with his feet on a patch of ground he didn’t recognize. His heart was caught in his throat.

“Where am I?”


	2. Chapter 2

“What the hell is happening?” 

Spencer started patting at his clothing, stepping backward into the alley and stumbling over a small wooden box that looked like it was meant to carry produce. The weather had changed. How? Instead of being clear out, there were dark clouds rolling toward him with the threat of rain imminent. The wall he’d stumbled into was damp with rain so obviously it had already rained a bit. 

Looking down, he took in the distinctive arrow-like pattern of a gray herringbone suit. Double breasted pockets, three pieces, a bow-tie and flat-brimmed hat. He owned none of this so how in the hell was he wearing all of it? 

As his heart raced, he stepped out of the alleyway that he assumed was near his apartment and realized very quickly that he was no longer in DC. How was this possible? Two men were walking down the street, similar to how he was dressed now so he ducked back into the alley to avoid them. He had no idea what was going on. Talking to people in this state was probably a bad idea. 

Suddenly, he felt the heaviness in his hand again and realized he was still holding the book he’d been reading. The love story. Benjamin said he was in one place reading and then found himself somewhere completely different. Spencer frantically flipped through the pages to see what Benjamin said next. 

Nothing looked familiar to me. Instead of searching fruitlessly for an answer, I decided to turn to the next person and ask them the first question that came to my mind. “Excuse me, Sir. What is today’s date?”

The stranger replied cheerily. “Why it’s the third day in April, 1689.”

I thanked him, my voice wavering and looked around. This couldn’t be real. I was 26 and it was 1893.  
Benjamin had traveled in time.

Spencer’s gaze shifted between the book, his surroundings and the clothes he was wearing before he made the connection. Again, he stepped out of the alleyway and was met with a woman wearing traditionally Victorian clothing. He followed Benjamin’s lead. “Excuse me, M-miss? What is today’s date?”

Brows furrowed, she extended her hand to touch his arm. “Are you okay, Sir? It’s the 23rd day in May. 1893.”

“T-thank you,” he replied, forcing a smile.

Okay, this was real. It wasn’t real, but it was real. For one last time, he turned back toward the alley and the brick wall, burying his face in the damp stone for a moment. “It’s 2011 not 1893. I’m going insane. That has to be it. I’m actually losing my mind now.” He’d always feared it but he never imagined his mind slipping in such a spectacular fashion.

He looked around for the door he’d entered, but it was gone, so instead he walked out of the alleyway again and turned in the direction of an ornate looking church. If it’s Gothic, four-spired tower wasn’t indication enough that he was in fact “not in Kansas anymore,” the horse-drawn stagecoach heading down the street cemented it. 

Slowing his pace, Spencer patted at a section of the double-breasted suit and realized something was there where his Bureau ID normally sat. When he pulled it out, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was a shield badge with a proud eagle on top resting above 13 stars and the words U.S. Deputy Marshal. “I’m still in law enforcement.” And he lived in colonial America apparently. 

Good to know. He could pass himself off as a cop here. 

Once the original shock of being transferred across the pond and backward over 200 years wore off, Spencer stopped in his tracks and looked around. Men and women strolled the streets holding ornate canes and delicate umbrellas undoubtedly heading to work or the stores that lined the streets. Some of the stagecoaches held people and others held goods. If he had to hazard a guess what was inside, Spencer would’ve said chocolate, as it was first mass-produced in the late-1840s, or possibly building materials like reinforced concrete. No that would be too heavy for horses right? Maybe it was just produce being delivered to the shops. His mind was spinning with all of the possibilities. The colors of the women’s dresses were overwhelming, not bright but plentiful.

What was he supposed to do here? Where was he supposed to go?

Instinct drove him to seek out a police station. On top of not believing where he’d ended up, he was clueless as to why he was here. It had something to do with the book he found in the Library of Congress, but that was all the answer he had thus far. After walking a few blocks and turning a corner, he found what he was looking for. In the middle of the block was a large building, standing on its own. The street was Whitehall Place off the Thames Embankment.

“Oh my god, it’s Scotland Yard.”

Before he headed inside, he tried to hold back the smile forming on his face. He was standing in front of Scotland Yard just 64 years after its inception. Geek paradise. After wiping the expression from his face, he stepped inside to see a very testosterone-filled room full of bobbies. They’re bobbies! Get a grip, Spencer. “Can I help you, Sir?” One of the men asked.

“Yes, my name is Dr. Spencer Reid. I’m with the U.S. Marshals.”

“You must be here about the Ripper case?” The man asked. “Name’s Edward Kipling.”

I’m going to investigate Jack the Ripper in Victorian England! AHHHHHHHHH!

“Yes, I am. The Marshals realize the case is no longer being investigated but they thought my expertise might be able to lead you in the right direction.”

“And what is your specialty Dr…?

“Dr. Reid. I have doctoral degrees in mathematics, chemistry and engineering, as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology.” Technically, he did also have a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, but in 1893, sociology was an extremely new field so he thought it better to leave it out. 

The officer’s eyes went wide. “Aren’t you too young to have so much schooling?”

“A bit,” he said shyly. “I went to university early.”

“Well, if anyone will be able to figure out who the Ripper is, it’ll be you.” He followed Officer Kipling through the station and introduced him to a number of other officers as well as the chief, Benjamin Tennyson. After talking for a few moments about Queen Victoria, he pointed Spencer down the hallway. “Please see our secretary, Miss Griffiths, and she’ll be able to put together the files we have on the Ripper for you.”

Normally he was a sneaker kind of guy, so hearing the click and clack of the dress shoes that somehow fit perfectly hitting the concrete floors was quite weird, but he didn’t have long to focus on it after he rounded the corner. On his way here, he’d seen quite a few women on the streets, but none quite as striking as her – who he assumed to be Miss Griffiths.

“Are you Miss Griffiths?” He asked shakily.

She glanced up from her desks and smiled, a blush coming to her pale skin. Her smile lit up her face as she introduced herself as Eleise Griffiths. “What can I do for you, Sir?”

“Oh, p-please, call me Spencer,” he stuttered. The shock on her face made him rethink how he should be addressed. Although he preferred his first name, women in this era were not permitted to address men by first name. “Or Dr. Reid if you prefer.”

“Dr. Reid, it is,” she said softly. “It’s nice to meet you. What can I do for you?”

Spencer asked if she wouldn’t mind putting together any files Scotland Yard had on the Ripper case as he was here to lend his expertise. “Of course,” she said. “I will be right back.” When she walked away, he couldn’t help but admire her beauty. Despite being fully covered, her beauty and femininity was apparent. She was wearing a floor-length white gown with thin black pinstripes adorning the entirety of it. The neckline showed absolutely no skin at all, but somehow he found that it accentuated the rosiness of her cheeks and the lines of her face. Her shoulder-length light brown hair was much like his had been a few years earlier. In Victorian terms, he would probably describe himself as smitten. There was just something about her.

When she returned, she had two boxes of files filled to the brim for him to comb through. “Let me help you,” Spencer said, quickly going over to help her with the boxes. 

“Oh, thank you,” she replied. “I appreciate it.”

After asking the chief where he could sit and peruse the files, Eleise helped him into a small office with a few chairs. “Do you have any idea what you’re looking for in terms of the Ripper?” She asked, quickly continuing when she realized she’d spoken out of turn. “I’m sorry. It’s not my place.”

“No, not at all,” Spencer said. “It’s a very interesting case.” He did have a theory considering it was one of the most famous cases in the world in 2011. “Evidence suggests that the unsub had some medical knowledge considering the removal of the organs.”

“Unsub?” She asked.

Whoops. “The suspect. The Marshals tend to say unsub for unknown subject.” He had to be careful of his vocabulary here. 

“So a doctor or surgeon?” The moment the words left her lips she was scolded by the same Officer Kipling that had greeted Spencer at the door. He said she had no business asking such questions.

Looking down, she turned her attention back toward her desk. Spencer knew how women were seen in this time but he did not have to abide by it all. “Actually Officer Kipling, I find having someone to parry my ideas off of very helpful. If you wouldn’t mind allowing her to speak with me I’d appreciate it.”

“Of course, Dr. Reid,” he said, turning his attention toward the secretary. “This doesn’t mean I still don’t expect your own work to be done, Miss Griffiths.”

“Yes, Sir.”

When Kipling was finally out of earshot, she thanked Spencer. “I appreciate you allowing me to work for you, Dr. Reid.”

“With me,” he clarified. “You aren’t my employee. I’d like to work with you, Miss Griffiths.”

“Eleise,” she whispered. “At least while it is only the two of us, I’d love for you to call me Eleise.”

“Only if you do the same and call me Spencer,” he smiled.

She started blushing wildly and was unable to meet his gaze. “Of course…Spencer.” He could tell she felt a bit scandalous calling him by his first name, but a little bit free at the same time. “I would actually like to work with Officer Kipling one day. I’ve always wanted to be a bobbie.”

“Really?” He asked. It wasn’t unheard of but in 1893 it was fairly uncommon for a woman to be working in law enforcement. “I absolutely think you should.”

“Do you?”

“Absolutely. Why?”

“It’s rare for a man to welcome a woman into this field. Most think we belong at home.”

“Not me,” he said truthfully. “If that’s where you would truly be happiest then I think that’s wonderful, but if you want to work in law enforcement, I think you should.”

He reminded her of her father. Her friends’ parents were quite different from hers. In most cases, their mothers were supportive while their fathers were disapproving and harsh. For Eleise it was the opposite. Her mother, Eleanor, said she should be happy with her place in life and continue serving as a secretary until she married, but her father, Alfred wanted to see his only child conquer the world. “That’s what my father said.”

Spencer wasn’t exactly sure what else to say about her family at the moment, so instead he switched topics back to the Ripper. “So Eleise,” he spoke softly, “Do you have any ideas about the Ripper?”

Taken aback, she stumbled over her words for a moment. “Actually yes, I believe that he might be a very religious man.”

“What makes you think so?” Spencer asked with a smile. It was a solid theory. 

“He targets prostitutes. He might see himself as wiping the streets clean.”

“Then why did he stop?” Spencer wondered. 

“Well, we don’t know if he definitely has,” she replied. “But if he did, his religious beliefs could feed into that as well. Maybe he was feeling immense guilt for breaking one of the Ten Commandments.”

Spencer handed Eleise a stack of files and asked her to look them over, pointing out anything that she found out of the ordinary. “Eleise, I think you might have a knack for this.”


	3. Chapter 3

“Thank you so much, Spencer,” Eleise said softly. She was so happy to have a man taking her seriously in the Yard, whether or not it was someone that actually worked here regularly. Being a bobbie had been one of the few things she’d ever truly wanted in life. She wanted it all, the job and a family. Maybe if she and Spencer could make some progress on this case, she might be able to achieve at least one of those.

A soft brown curl of Spencer’s hair dangled gently near his eyes, so intent on finding all the answers. She felt butterflies curl in her stomach. Maybe she would be able to achieve both? Eleise get a hold of yourself. You barely know the man. “Do you have any theories about who it might be?”

Did he ever. The case of Jack the Ripper was quite possibly the most well known, unsolved crime in his time next to the Zodiac killer. Speaking of, he really shouldn’t have been here, he should head back home somehow, but he was too intrigued by everything and everyone around him to turn his back on it. “I have quite a few ideas actually. It’s a very popular case overseas.”

“I would love to hear,” she prodded. 

For nearly an hour, Spencer regaled her with every theory he had regarding the Ripper. The letters that were sent to the police were in his mind only used to heighten the story for the purposes of selling papers, especially since the handwriting was unkempt and almost juvenile – the opposite of what he’d expect from someone with the medical knowledge that the Ripper likely had. Some of the more out there theories were that it could’ve been Lewis Carroll, yes, the author of Alice in Wonderland, or possibly even Winston Churchill’s father or Queen Victoria’s nephew, but he paid no attention to those. 

“I actually have a theory that not many people adhere to,” he said, “but I believe Jack the Ripper might not be a ‘Jack’ at all.”

Eleise had been perusing the files while Spencer was talking. She was great at multitasking. Really, she had to be considering her job and whom she worked for. But immediately she returned her attention to him. “Jill the Ripper,” she said. “That was what I suggested and Officer Kipling told me I was crazy and I should just stick to what I was good at.” She raised her brows, pride flowing through her veins.

The officer had been nice to him when he walked in, but the more he was hearing about this man, the more Spencer wanted to go and punch Kipling in the face. “I don’t like how he speaks to you,” he said matter-of-factly. “What leads you to believe it’s a woman?”

In the midst of the buzzing and crowded Scotland Yard, Eleise happily turned toward Spencer and listed the many reasons she thought the Ripper could be a woman. “I believe the letters are real, but she sent them with a male moniker to throw the police off her scent. On top of that, if she was a midwife, she could easily have the knowledge necessary for the removal of all the organs and being a midwife would mean she could technically walk around covered in blood and no one would be any the wiser. One of the biggest reasons however is the eyewitness statement that has the last victim, Mary Kelly, seen walking the streets at 8:30 the morning she died, which would be impossible because she was killed between 3 and 4 in the morning. It wouldn’t be impossible if Jack was Jill though because she could’ve used Mary Kelly’s clothes to disguise herself in another attempt to throw the police of her trail.”

Despite the subject matter, Spencer found himself smiling. Eleise was much smarter than her male superiors gave her credit for. “Why would she do it? Why would she kill so many women and take their organs? Every criminal has a motive, no matter how tenuous it may be.”

“Well,” she hesitated, “My theory is a bit more grounded in speculation, but I think she might have become a midwife because of her love of children, but then she found out she was incapable of having them herself. When she had prostitutes come to her for abortions, she was devastated at the idea of getting rid of the children she so desperately wanted, so she killed them. And cutting out those organs would symbolically mean they could never have a child again.”

It was more than a solid theory and frankly it was something Spencer wanted to pursue. 

“There are so many solid theories about who Jack actually is, but being Jill is definitely one I want to pursue,” Spencer said, taking in the look of disbelief on Eleise’s face. “I think you have a very good grasp on the case and if you’d be willing, I’ll have Officer Kipling allow you to accompany me on behalf of the department.”

“Really?” She exclaimed, standing up from her desk and drawing the unwanted attention of everyone else in the department. “Spencer,” she whispered, “I would be eternally grateful for the opportunity.”

Spencer smiled softly, tenuously extending his hand toward hers. “I’ll be back momentarily after I talk to Kipling.”

He spun on his heels in his too-highbrow-for-him dress shoes and made his way toward Officer Kipling’s office, leaving Eleise to compose herself. This gentleman she’d never seen or heard from before immediately allowed her to express her opinion; he didn’t look down on her like so many had before and he was handsome to boot. Maybe she was just overwhelmed, but there seemed to be a change in the air. 

-

“Dr. Reid, you can’t be serious?” Officer Kipling yelled. “Ms. Griffiths is a secretary. Nothing more. How would she be of service to you?”

Yes, Spencer had somehow found himself back in time 200 years and things were different here, but Officer Kipling’s profound misogyny was grating on his nerves. “Ms. Griffiths is much more intelligent than you give her credit for, Sir. She has a very good understanding of the case, of how the justice system works, of the human mind. I find being able to parry with another person very helpful and she and I work very well together.”

“But she’s a secretary!”

Spencer had been keeping his cool, but with each passing second Kipling was getting louder and louder, which of course meant he drew the attention of his own boss. Chief Tennyson strutted into the room, composed but determined, eyes insistent on an answer for this disturbance. “What seems to be the problem?” He asked Kipling.

“This man…this American doctor wants to bring Ms. Griffiths to the Ripper crime scenes…as a partner.”

“Is this true?” He asked.

Nodding, Spencer reiterated his reasoning for wanting to bring Eleise along and waited for Tennyson to fight him, but he didn’t. “I don’t see why that should be a problem,” he said with a smile.

Kipling’s jaw practically dropped to the floor like a Looney Tunes cartoon, though they had no idea what that was. “How can you be serious, Sir? She’s…”

“She’s what?”

“A woman!”

“And an intelligent one at that,” Tennyson replied. “I’ve been considering bringing Ms. Griffiths into the ranks. She’s very determined to do so. This will give me an indication if she’s ready. Dr. Reid, is it?” Spencer nodded as he continued. “Just give us a few days time. We have some pressing paperwork that needs to be done and Ms. Griffiths works fast. Also, make sure to report to me about how she is doing. If you can handle that, I believe the Americans and the Brits can come to an arrangement.”

Although Spencer really wasn’t one for handshakes, he extended his arm and thanked Tennyson for his time. If Spencer was allowed to have a cellphone here, he would’ve taken a picture. He wanted to remember Kipling’s face. Instead, he’d just have to settle on his memory.

He walked out of the office and back down the hallway where Eleise was waiting patiently but not all that discretely for his return. “What did Kipling say?” She asked, grimacing as she braced for the worst. 

Spencer blushed at the way she looked at him – like there were stars in his eyes. “Kipling didn’t want to have it, but he was yelling so loud that he caught the attention of Chief Tennyson. I managed to convince him. In two days time, after your paperwork deadline, he’ll allow you to accompany me.”

Tennyson? Eleise was so sure he’d never really noticed her. He was a kind man, but she never believed he’d allow her this opportunity. “Finally!” She said excitedly, clutching her fists together in front of her face. She was doing her best to hide her excitement but it wasn’t going over well. Spencer thought it was adorable. “A chance to prove myself. Thank you so much, Spencer,” she finished. Her hand reached out to rest on his arm as a token of appreciation but it brought more than either intended. Spencer wanted to learn more about the woman who stood out among such a significant and serious time and Eleise was intrigued not only by the professional possibilities but also the mystery man who’d suddenly walked into her life.

“I will be back in a couple of days,” he said softly. “I’m going to do a little more research into the case and formulate a few more solid theories for us to explore, but then we will be off. Maybe an American man and a British woman can find the answers to one of the most brutal crimes in modern history.” With pursed lips, he tipped his hat toward her and watched her curtsy gracefully before him, her cheeks pink with embarrassment and pride. “Don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t capable.”

Spencer started walking away before she could say anything, but Eleise whispered into the stale, smoke-filled air around them. “I won’t. Never again.”

-

Honestly, Spencer wasn’t sure if he had a place to stay here. The clothes had come out of nowhere, as did the badge, but other than that he had nothing on him that would indicate he had a “life” here. Plus, he was now investigating Jack the Ripper with an intelligent, determined and beautiful woman. He needed to do more research. 

Following the path he previously walked, Spencer soon found himself back in the alleyway where he’d began earlier this morning. As if from nowhere, a doorknob materialized from the brick building’s wall. He probably should’ve been a bit more concerned about this, but instead he took it and opened the door, stepping through the find himself back among the familiar scent of his books and the comforting confines of his living room.

-

After work concluded for the day, Eleise happily picked up her umbrella from the front of the station and began her walk home, a dreamy smile upon her face. “What has you so happy?” Eleanor asked as she walked in the door. Her mother had very definite ideas on a woman’s role in society and the fact that her only daughter wanted to act more like a son rubbed her the wrong way, but Alfred kept her balanced.

“We had an American Marshall come into the station today to lend his expertise on the Jack the Ripper case,” she said, failing to elaborate at first which led Eleanor to believe that maybe, just maybe, her daughter was finally understanding what her place in the world was. “He asked for my help in going over some of the information we’ve gathered and he convinced Chief Tennyson to let me help him in the investigation.”

Alfred popped his head out from the doorway, his fingers still swiftly typing away at the brand new typewriter he’d finally saved up for. “My little girl is going to investigate Jack the Ripper?” He jumped out of his seat and greeted her at the door with a hug. “My girl, that’s fantastic. You must be careful though. And tell this American doctor that he is to keep you safe or he will have to answer to me.”

“Of course, Father,” she laughed.

Eleanor was less than pleased but one glance from her husband stopped her in her tracks. “Just…be careful, Eleise.”

“I will, Mother. I promise.”

Though Alfred wanted to watch his daughter conquer the world, he wouldn’t deny that he’d like to see her happy with another, like he and his wife had been for so many years. “What about this Doctor? If he’s a doctor, I would imagine he’s intelligent. How about kind? Is he handsome?”

“Very handsome,” she said, blushing. “And exceedingly kind.”

“I believe you might be smitten,” Alfred said kissing his daughter’s forehead.

“I might just be.”


	4. Chapter 4

Back at home, Spencer checked the clock to see that the hours had passed in real time. He’d been gone for about 8 hours. He could get dinner. He could go to sleep considering how mentally exhausted he was, but he couldn’t keep his mind from spinning, so instead of doing any of that, he grabbed a frozen dinner and popped it in the microwave so he could sit down in front of the computer and research to his heart’s content. 

For hours and hours, his eyes glazed over in front of the screen. Somehow despite being on vacation from serial killers and murder cases he’d found himself investigating one of the most famous psychopaths in the history of world. 

At another point in his life, Spencer might’ve been more apprehensive about having just crossed the threshold into another time and place, but his felt an electricity rolling through him that he hadn’t felt in years. In 1893, he didn’t have all the answers; he was flying by the seat of his pants and it was exhilarating. 

Despite filling every neuron of his brain with theories on the Ripper, Spencer found his mind drifting to Eleise every now and then. It was rare that he found himself immediately smitten with someone, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the rosiness of her cheeks when she smiled, or the twinkle in her eye when he’d gotten Chief Tennyson’s permission to investigate alongside him, or the way the light chestnut tendrils of hair bounced up and down when she got excited about being given the opportunity to prove herself.  
What the hell are you thinking, Spencer? She’s located in 1890s England and I live in America in 2011. How the hell would any of that work?

Instead of losing himself to an impossible dream, he returned his attention toward the computer and put together a few Jack the Ripper theories that were plausible. Although he couldn’t come right out and tell Scotland Yard the names of the suspects he had, he lead them in that direction. Legal? Maybe not. But it was the 1890s and they undoubtedly weren’t going to find the murderer anyway. Montague John Druitt was a possibility. He was the son of a surgeon and supposedly killed himself shortly after the last murder. Another possibility was Thomas Neill Cream, who had medical training and was convicted of killing his pregnant mistress. After trying to deflect suspicions onto a local businessman and failing, he moved to the United States near Chicago were it was found that he performed illegal abortions on prostitutes. Once he was convicted of the mistress’s murder, he served ten years in prison and upon release killed four more women. He was hanged and his executioner claims that his last words before the noose tightened were ‘I am Jack the…’

There were so many possibilities – George Chapman, Thomas Haynes Cutbush, James Maybrick – but all had pretty convincing reasons against their bearing the famous killer’s moniker. 

The more he thought about it, the more he believe that he and Eleise had been seriously on the right track. At nearly 4 AM that morning, Spencer passed out on the couch with a smile on his face, but instead of dreaming about Jack the Ripper, which would’ve made sense considering how much information he’d taken in, he pictured soft brown hair, a timid smile and twinkling eyes.

\- 

“Ms. Griffiths!” 

Eleise heard her name called gruffly from one of the offices down the hallway. “Yes, Officer Kipling?” The last thing she wanted right now was to be interrupted in the flow of her paperwork, but he was still the man she reported to. “May I help you?”

“Yes. Come here!”

She composed herself and pushed away from the desk, walking proudly and with her head held high into Kipling’s office. “Yes, Sir.” She would kill him with kindness and intelligence. 

“How is your paperwork coming?”

“Everything will be done by the time my shift is over tonight, Sir.” Her father had even dropped her off at the station early so she could make some headway on the plethora of papers that lined her desk. 

With a sneer, he handed her an extra set of papers, small in nature, but she knew they were meant to impede her progress. She would not let it get to her. “I’ll have these done by the same time, Sir.”

“See that it’s done,” he said dismissively, waving his hand as her indication that she was allowed to leave.

When she returned to her desk, she powered through, typing as fast as she could and even filing everything that she’d worked on before the end of her shift. As she left the file room, she exclaimed. “Sir, I’m so sorry.”

Tennyson had emerged from his own office, located next to the file room, without looking and nearly knocked Eleise right over. “No, the fault is mine,” he said with a smile. “I am just excited about going home to see my wife. The last few days have been quite hectic and I haven’t seen her as much as I’d like.”

Eleise never had the chance to learn much about Tennyson, but he seemed like a gentlemen. About Spencer’s age, by the looks of it, possibly a bit older, which would make sense, because he’d been given much grief since he earned the position of chief over his elders. He seemed to be a good man. “I hope you have a wonderful night, Sir. May I ask how long you’ve been married?” She grimaced as the words came out of her mouth. It wasn’t her place to ask, but Tennyson just smiled.

“Only a few months. It was a whirlwind, but she is mine forever.” He seemed far away at the thought of her. When he returned his gaze to hers, he advised. “Stay safe tomorrow, Miss Griffiths. I told Kipling he is to let you leave under the accompaniment of the U.S. Marshall tomorrow when Dr. Reid arrives. I think the case may be too difficult to solve, however that doesn’t mean you still can’t prove your professional worth.”

“Thank you, Sir. I’ll make sure to make the Yard proud.”

“I would expect nothing less from you,” he smiled, tipping his hat in her direction as he spun on his heels to head home.

Eleise triumphantly placed the files that Kipling had given her that afternoon on his desk, ensuring he saw her as she left for the night. “Till tomorrow, Officer Kipling.”

He did not look happy; it put a smile on her face.

-

Spencer spent the next 30 hours sleeping, researching and shaking with nervousness. For some reason he kept contemplating what he should wear, but then he remembered that his clothes had changed when he entered the portal. Portal? Was it a portal? Or a door? Maybe a rip in space/time? Whatever it was it seemed to take control over what he wore and had on him at the time. 

Then he contemplated why he cared what he was wearing and the answer made him a little nervous. How did someone he barely know have so much of an effect on him? In a roundabout way, he wanted to ask his mother. She would have the answer for that type of thing, but considering the absolute craziness of what was happening to him and the nature of his mother’s illness, implanting such an “outlandish” idea in her head probably wouldn’t be the best idea.

What would she say?

You always were an old soul, Spencer. I think you’re smitten with her because she is old-fashioned in a literal sense. She doesn’t know of anything that happens in today’s world. She has up-close-and-personal knowledge of things you couldn’t possibly understand, even with your intelligence, so she’s opening up a different reality to you.

That’s probably what she’d say. 

As he pulled on a pair of pants and a button down shirt, he decided that he wouldn’t question it. Even heading toward another crime scene, he was the happiest he’d been in years. He felt like a kid again – when the world was new and he hadn’t known pain yet. For however long it lasted, he’d ride out the high among the stars.

-

Once he was ready, he grabbed the book again and stood where he’d been two days before, watching in awe as the door appeared again. He hesitated for a moment and then stepped through to find the day much brighter than he had when he first arrived. The sky was a piercing shade of blue and there were only a few clouds in the sky.

Looking down, he noticed the same outfit from the other day. That was probably for the best so it didn’t like look he was some “Richie-Rich” that could afford a new outfit for every day. His Bureau ID had once again switched to the badge of an American Marshall and where his wallet once was lay a coin purse of sorts with various British coins. From the looks of it, Spencer had one pound – uncommon for the time for most working men to have that large an amount on his person – 5 shillings, some pennies, halfpennies and farthings.

He wondered whether the money he had here had anything to do with what he’d had on him in his wallet in 2011 and made a mental note to keep money in that wallet so he wasn’t without money here.  
With some pep in his step, he made his way down the same streets he did the other day. This time the church didn’t seem dreary and beautiful, but like a beacon of light. Definitely the focal piece of this particular area. As he was walking, he passed a store called Brayer Bakery. His stomach grumbled loudly when he caught sight of what looked like a thin apple pastry. 

In Victorian England, the poor couldn’t afford this type of thing, and even the working class couldn’t indulge often, but Spencer was hungry and he had money on him so he decided to take a peak inside. How often could one say they had a Victorian pastry IN Victorian England?

Spencer smiled at the woman behind the counter and came to find through another patron that she was a widow of the former owner of the store – Edward Brayer. Though many had assumed the store would close after his death, young Victoria, ironically, had proved everyone wrong and kept the store afloat. Still at a ‘marriageable age,’ many of the patrons that came to her bakery were hoping to court her.

He stepped up to the counter and pointed at a particularly delicious looking pastry to ask what it was. “Have you never seen a Victorian tart, Sir?” She asked jokingly. 

“Just never ones as good looking as those,” he replied to save himself any embarrassment. “Anything unique in them?”

“They can be made with many things. Mine have apricots and something special of my own that I’ll never tell a soul,” she smiled. 

After buying two, one for himself and one for Eleise, he made his way back down the road with the paper bag in hand. Instead of hesitating as he had before, he walked into the station and immediately walked toward Kipling’s office, ready to take Eleise away from his oppressive demeanor. “Hello, Officer Kipling. Is Miss Griffiths ready?”

“Yes,” he said just a little too happily. “I’ve actually spoken with Tennyson and he believes I should accompany you both in your investigation.”

Spencer was less than thrilled. “Is there a reason for that?”

“Giving all of our files and investigation to an American man and a woman doesn’t necessarily look good to the public,” he said, his emphasis on woman making Spencer’s skin crawl. “This way the Yard will still have direct involvement. Plus, it’s not exactly proper for an unmarried woman to be out alone with an unmarried man. As a known employer of Miss Griffiths, I’ll be there to keep any that wish to harm her at bay.” That was secondary in his mind and obvious to Spencer by the tone of his voice.

Somehow Tennyson arrived just at the right time again. “Hello Dr. Reid,” he said, hand outstretched. They discussed Kipling coming along and while Spencer didn’t like it, he relented, on a few conditions. “Name them.”

“One, he is to take a tertiary role to myself and Miss Griffiths. Two, if anything is to come of the case, Miss Griffiths name will be featured prominently in any reports and three, I am to remain the one reporting to you about her progress and abilities. I believe you have good officers working for you, but I believe Officer Kipling has a bias against Miss Griffiths and therefore won’t inform you of her progress without prejudice.” It was better than his name not be attached to anything regarding this case, but if something came of it, he was damn well going to make sure she got her credit.

Kipling’s jaw had dropped open as Spencer was speaking. “Sir, you can’t possibly be thinking about agreeing to any of this?”

“Why not?” Tennyson asked, the twinkle in his eye indicative of his alertness to Kipling’s aggravation. He knew. He just didn’t care. Spencer could come to like Chief Tennyson. “If your being there is for the reasons you described, then it makes no difference what role you take. As for her name being in any reports, I would not think to do otherwise and in regards to you giving me progress reports; that is agreeable as well. While Kipling is a good officer, his biases are apparent.” Without another word, he left the room, leaving Kipling grumbling in indignation. 

“Follow me,” he said tersely. 

When Eleise saw Kipling approach, she frowned but then it melted away when she realizes Spencer was there as well. Kipling hadn’t wasted any time earlier boasting that he would be tagging along. “Kipling will be with us, but he is to defer to my judgment as well as yours. Any progress you make, I will make known to Tennyson on your behalf and if anything is to come of the case, you will be credited. Those were my conditions to his joining us.”

“I appreciate you looking out for my professional well-being, Sir.” She was more than grateful for what he’d already done, but she did feel a sting of disappointment at not being alone with him. Alone, she could call him Spencer. With Kipling nearby, she would have to call him Dr. Reid. “Are we all ready?”

Smiling, Spencer nodded and remembered the bag in his hand. “Almost, I was hungry and grabbed myself a Victoria tart for breakfast. I got you one as well.”

“Thank you!” She exclaimed, her cheeks blushing when she realized he’d spent a fair few shillings on her. “You shouldn’t have.”

“It was nothing,” he replied, turning to a disgruntled Kipling. “I would’ve grabbed one for you as well…had I known you were coming.”  
He didn’t bother to take in the look on Kipling’s face, instead heading toward the doors of the Yard to catch a stagecoach. They had work to do and possibly some history to make.


	5. Chapter 5

“Where to first?” Spencer asked, extending his hand toward Eleise.

With a slight blush, she took it and stepped into the black stagecoach, stifling a snicker when Spencer followed swiftly after, cutting off Kipling’s ability to get in before him. That man was so used to getting what he wanted it was lovely to see him get his comeuppance. “Where do you think is the best place for us to begin?” He asked again. It was evident that she hadn’t been aware he was talking to her in the first place.

“Me? Oh, well I believe the best place to begin would be at Mary Kelly’s place of residence.” Eleise felt a hot wash of embarrassment and fear as Kipling’s eyes pierced into her. But instead of giving in to the feeling and quieting down, she sat up tall. “She was considered to be his last victim, though I don’t necessarily agree, so I feel like we should begin there.”

While Kipling decided to open his impossibly large mouth, Spencer turned to the driver of the coach and asked him to take them to 13 Miller’s Court off Dorset Street.

“What makes you think Kelly was not one of his victims?” Kipling scoffed. “His first five victims were linked by the best of Scotland Yard.”

Spencer watched proudly as she turned to Kipling and explained her reasoning – reasoning that he held as well. “Elizabeth Stride and Mary Kelly’s deaths differed from the other three in major areas, Officer Kipling. While Nichols, Chapman and Eddowes were all killed with slashes to the throat, Stride was killed with significantly less violence and Kelly was killed with considerably more.”

“She makes a salient point, Officer,” Spencer interjected. “Mary Kelly was nearly eviscerated upon her death and Stride had no discernable cuts to her abdomen whatsoever. The other three women hold much more strongly to the Ripper’s modus operandi.”

Kipling said nothing and instead turned toward the window of the coach, watching as the world passed him by. He didn’t seem all that thrilled with what passed outside his window, but Spencer couldn’t help but stare. It was simplistic and yet busy, people buzzing about on the streets conducting whatever affairs needed tending to. “You look as though you haven’t seen England before, S-“ She caught herself. “Dr. Reid. Is this your first time here?”

If that wasn’t the understatement of the 19th and 21st centuries.

“You could say so,” he replied softly. “I have heard tales of life across the pond, from my mother, but this is the first time I’ve stepped foot on foreign soil. I love the architecture. It’s grand - Americans have tried to emulate it, but it feels more authentic here. We’ve only been an established nation for a few hundred years, so the architecture feels like it was placed there rather than here, where it grew from the ground up.” He hadn’t turned to Eleise, his attention to focused on the seemingly mundane outside the window, but she had not taken her eyes off him. She had always loved where she lived, but hearing him speak of it brought a whole new wave of appreciation for it all.

Just minutes later they arrived at the “final” crime scene. Thankfully, it wasn’t being lived in at the moment, though of course the area had been cleaned in the years since the murder. “So Miss Griffiths,” Kipling started. “Explain to me how Mary Kelly was not a victim of the Ripper?” His thick baritone was so condescending it made Spencer’s skin crawl, but Eleise seemed more than capable of speaking for herself.

As she floated around the room, taking in each wall and each floorboard with the practiced eye of a trained investigator, she spoke, not addressing anyone in particular. “Well as I said before, she was killed much more viciously than the other four. While her throat was cut, it was slashed much deeper, almost to the spine, which I believe suggests a more personal connection to the murderer. The depth of the wound seemed rather unnecessary unless the murderer was particularly angry. Additionally, her face was nearly hacked off and the organ taken was a heart, not the uterus. The taking of the heart could be symbolic.”

“Symbolic of what?” Kipling exclaimed. “And of course the killer was angry! He’s a killer.”

Eleise was light-years ahead of her time. Spencer turned to her and congratulated her on a theory well thought. “The heart is one of the most well known symbols for love, Officer Kipling. Taking the heart could mean that the killer’s heart had been broken by Miss Kelly, so they took it in return. And someone’s anger is exponentially greater when regarding someone they care about.”

Kipling knelt down and examined the bed where she had been found, which was truly a moot point because the murder had been committed five years earlier. Honestly, Spencer was astounded that this man had managed to obtain a spot on the Yard. “What would all of that indicate then? Who killed her?” He continued.

Spencer kept quiet and motioned for Eleise to continue. “I believe the evidence leads to Joseph Barnet, her former lover, being the one that killed her. It would be more of a stretch to say that he could be Jack the Ripper himself, but I feel that is a possibility as well.”

Kipling wanted to say something, but he stopped himself. He didn’t want to admit that Eleise had a point. “Dr. Reid, what is your opinion on the matter?”

“I happen to agree,” he said, his lip twitching upward into a smile. “A person’s behavior and circumstances can be just as incriminating as physical evidence.” It was the science in which he’d studied and worked – and one that wouldn’t be taken seriously for almost another 100 years. “Miss Griffiths, are you aware of the personal lives of the most commonly known Ripper suspects?”

“Yes, Doctor,” she replied, stepping toward the doorway of the establishment where they stood. “Including Barnet. He works as a fish porter, which would make him adept at boning and gutting fish. It was believed that when Kelly could no longer afford her rent, she began prostituting herself to make ends meet. She was living with Barnet at the time, and it was known by neighbors that he disapproved of her being on the streets. If he wanted to scare her off the streets, he could have killed a number of the other victims in an attempt to scare her into coming home to him.”

“That is a stretch, Miss Griffiths,” Kipling spoke. “I’m more inclined to believe that Barnet killed Kelly than that he was the Ripper.”

She reiterated that she realized it was much harder to prove, but it was a possibility nonetheless. “I believe we should find Mr. Barnet and question him again,” she said confidently, turning to them with no hint of doubt in her stance. “As long as you think so too, Dr. Reid,” she concluded. She was already so grateful for the opportunity to be here and work an actual case; the last thing she wanted to do was overstep her bounds.

“He was already questioned after the murders,” Kipling said as the three of them walked out and back to the stagecoach, which had been waiting for them per Spencer’s orders. “He had an alibi.”

“It wasn’t strong,” Eleise said before Spencer could get the words out. “He only said where he was living at the time, which was with his sister, not that he was actually with her at the time of the murder.” Kipling glanced her way indignantly. “Officer Kipling, I don’t blame you or the Chief considering you weren’t working the case and the Chief hadn’t even joined the Yard yet, but his alibi was weak. The officers working the case should have scrutinized it more.”

Back in the stagecoach, the three investigators made their way back to the station to look up Joseph Barnet’s current place of residence. Spencer knew from his research but forced himself to keep his mouth shut. “Miss Griffiths, what about your outlandish idea that the Ripper could be a woman. Is that not a possibility anymore?”

“Of course not, Officer. I still believe it is a possibility, but from what I’ve learned as a secretary, being around these investigations and only having the opportunity to listen, I’ve taken in some valuable information. It is best not to focus on one particular theory too much lest you become biased.”

Kipling pulled up Barnet’s old address from the files, while Eleise and Spencer found the names of a fair few women that they could question as well.

As they made their way to the first woman’s home, a midwife named Emily Thorne who had been friends with the first victim, Kipling continued to badger Eleise on her stance that a woman could be a killer. “Sir, women have just as much feeling and can hold just as much rage as men do. We are just taught that we must hide it, while you are allowed to let it out.”

Instead of taking in the world outside of the stagecoach like he did before, Spencer kept his eyes on Eleise. He would love to see her in 2011, which still had its issues, but was a far cry from where she was right now. How would she thrive? Would she be an officer there too? Or something else entirely?

For the next few hours, Eleise, Spencer and Officer Kipling traveled around the Whitechapel area, asking a number of midwives various questions they had regarding the Ripper murders. Based on what he and Eleise had discussed a few days earlier, if it were a woman, she would most likely be unable to have children of her own. Emily Thorne was heavily pregnant when they walked in and after a few questions regarding Mary Nichols, it was clear to all three of them that Thorne had been devastated by the loss of her friend.

None of the other possible female suspects panned out, either having rock solid alibis for the times of the murders or their “profile” not lending itself to that of a killer. Spencer could see the disappointment begin to form on Eleise’s face. “Listen,” he said softly out of range of Kipling, “We don’t need to find the Ripper in order for you to prove yourself. You’re already doing it.”

“Thank you,” she said. She couldn’t possibly express how much his belief in her meant, but it was hard to make herself, a woman, stand out in a man’s world. “I just want to be taken seriously. I don’t want to be seen in only one light. There is more to me than people think.”

“I know,” Spencer replied, a feeling of determination settling deep within his chest. “You will be taken seriously. I promise.”

Later that day, Kipling suggested going back to the Yard to go over what they had and determine how they wanted to question Barnet the next day. For the first time since he’d arrived, Spencer actually agreed with him, so they returned to the station and formulated a plan.

“As long as Dr. Reid is in agreement, you are free to go for the day Miss Griffiths.” Kipling said, slightly saddened by their lack of progress and his inability to be at the forefront of the investigation.

Spencer smiled. “You did wonderfully today. I will be sure to tell Chief Tennyson. Please, get home safely.”

“I will, Dr. Reid.” Despite not making much progress, she felt better than she had in years. Even having one man take her seriously put a pep in her step. Grabbing her coat, she slipped it on and waved shyly at the good doctor before taking the short walk home. It was raining, not uncommon for an English afternoon, but her disposition couldn’t possibly be dampened.

-

Both Spencer and Kipling filed together the remaining papers that had been floating amongst the desks and without so much more than a ‘good evening’ had Kipling left for home for the night.

Spencer hadn’t expected to get much done the first day, if at all, but he was more than happy with how the day had gone and was excited to tell Tennyson about Eleise’s capabilities in the field. “Hello, Dr. Reid,” Tennyson greeted when Spencer walked into the office. “How did Miss Griffiths do today?”

“She has a spectacular mind, Sir,” he started. “She thinks outside of the box, so to speak. She allows herself to explore various paths of investigation to keep any personal biases in check. There is a slight sense of hesitation in her words, but in my professional opinion that is only because of her being a woman surrounded by men, a majority of them anyway, that do not take her seriously. Of course, I will continue to keep you updated in the coming days, but I would deem it a mistake for her not to be at least considered as an officer.” Tennyson listened intently as he spoke, his smile growing wider as he watched the doctor ramble about Miss Griffith’s professional abilities. He’d worn that look before. The doctor was smitten.

Absentmindedly, Spencer switched the books under his left arm to his right, the left becoming numb with the weight of it all. When he switched a small book fell to the floor without him noticing. “I will absolutely consider it, Dr. Reid,” he replied standing up from his desk to retrieve the book from the floor. When he saw the inside page along with the title and inscription, he couldn’t help but feel a jolt of excitement. “Miss Griffiths is capable of much more than others give her credit for.” Holding the book out, he continued. “And I believe you dropped my book.”

“My-“ He looked down to see Through the Pages in his grasp. “Your-? This is yours? I-“

Benjamin. “I-“

“Your secret is safe with me, Dr. Reid.”


	6. Chapter 6

Alfred sat at his desk pretending to do work before his daughter came home. The second he heard the creaking of the heavy wooden door he peeked out from his office to see his not-so-little girl with a smile on her face. “How was work, my sweet one?” After hearing that she would be investigating one of the biggest killers in English history, he’d been a mix of excited, nervous and proud. 

“Oh Father! It was so amazing! Of course what happened was horrible, deplorable, I don’t mean to imply that it wasn’t, but Dr. Reid, Spencer, he deferred to me all day. He asked my opinion first and he even agreed with my conclusions about the case! I even suggested my theory that the Ripper might have been a woman and he said he held that theory as well.” Eleise was practically spinning around as she spoke, like a little girl at afternoon tea. 

Eleanor had returned with folded laundry in hand midway through Eleise’s recounting of her day, sighing at her daughter’s wild ideas. “Women don’t kill. The ones that do are damned to hell.”

“As are the men that do,” her husband replied.

The young woman couldn’t help but roll her eyes, eliciting a huff of laughter from her father. In all likelihood, her mother was thinking of a woman two towns over who had killed her husband and then herself after he’d been found in bed with another woman. In Eleise’s opinion, what the woman did was wrong but it was understandable. “As I was saying, Spencer and I both believe that the Ripper’s supposed last victim wasn’t his last at all. We think it was actually someone else. Tomorrow we are going to bring the man, Joseph Barnet, I don’t know whether you remember his name from the paper, Father, and we are going to bring him in for additional questions. I asked if I could interrogate him and Spencer said yes, but that he will go first.”

“Why will he go first?” Alfred asked.

“Because he wants to lure Barnet into a false sense of security. If he killed Mary Kelly or if he was the Ripper, he obviously looks down upon women, so if I went in first, he would probably refuse to answer any of our questions. With Spencer going first, he will relax and then I can go in and ask questions of my own,” Eleise said happily. Despite the nature of the conversation and the case, she bounced around the dining room, placing plates and forks and knives on the table while her mother readied their dinner. “I just feel so blessed to have this opportunity. I don’t think I will ever be able to repay Dr. Reid for what he’s done for me. I feel…powerful.”

“Oh, my sweet one. That’s all I have ever wished for you. Maybe you can thank him with dinner. Would you like to invite him to dinner tomorrow night?”

Blushing furiously, she tried to hide her face but Alfred could see right passed it. His daughter had a crush and if he could kill two proverbial birds with one proverbial stone he didn’t see the problem in that. “Oh, I-I could do that…couldn’t I? Should I? Women don’t normally ask men that kind of thing.”

“And women don’t work with the police at Scotland Yard either,” her father said as he kissed her forehead. “Yet you are. Defy the odds, my love.”

-

“This-this can’t be yours,” Spencer said in disbelief. “I-How?”

“It is the book I wrote shortly after returning home with my new bride,” he smiled, placing it back in Spencer’s open palm. “I finished it rather recently actually. The journal was given to me by my grandmother when I first learned to write, but I never put anything in it. When it all happened, when the world brought me the woman I love I knew I had to tell my story.”

Spencer swallowed hard and glanced down at the page and the message he’d written. “So you’re Benjamin…and your wife is Rose?”

“I just call her My Rose,” he said, blushing. “Her name is Alana. Not very common for her time. A one-in-a-million name for a one-in-a-million woman. Where are you from Dr. Reid? And when?”

He had a million and one questions. How? What? Where? When? Why? Why was he here? How did this book work? Sitting down, Spencer stared straight ahead, eyes glazed over in confusion as he spoke. “I am from America,” he started. “But not from this time.”

Benjamin took his seat again, a smile twitching upon his lips. “I would assume not, considering that when I was sent back, I found myself in the 1600s.”

“It’s 2011 where I live.”

The chief raised in eyebrows in disbelief, whistling and laughing at the insanity of it all. He slapped his desk as he exclaimed. “Well, damn!”

“Yea,” Spencer replied, allowing his speech pattern to return to what he was used to for a moment. “Benjamin, what happened to you? Do you know why it happened? What the reason was?”

For nearly an hour, Benjamin told Spencer about how he’d always been a bit different. He thought differently. He wanted different things than other boys, and later men his age, did. He was not what society had considered a normal boy. Spencer couldn’t help but laugh, the parallels already being drawn. “I’d been of a marriageable age for quite some time, but the women that people chose for me weren’t for me…I didn’t love them, and I wanted to marry for love. I wanted my wife to be my equal in every way, so I refused marriage for a very long time. One day when I was sitting at home, less than a year ago, it just happened…I still don’t know why. Maybe the stars knew I wanted to find the one I loved, so they sent me somewhere to find her. I just didn’t realize that would be more than 100 years prior. Tell me, Spencer. Do you have a soulmate in…2011?” He had trouble even fathoming a time so far away. 

“I don’t,” he replied earnestly. “I went to University at a young age. I was 12. I am actually a doctor.” He laughed and stared down in awe at the book in his hands. “Boys like me are seen as lesser because they aren’t manly enough.”

“It seems some things change and some things don’t.” Benjamin seemed a little disappointed at that fact. 

“Anyway, I’ve never had much luck with women, but…”

“Eleise is your soulmate.”

“What? I-I’ve only just met her. I don’t think I could say definitely or not, but I am…impressed with her – taken, I guess.” He felt an ease in the statement, knowing there wouldn’t have been anyone else in the world he could’ve spoken to about this. 

“The only reason I can ascertain for you being brought here is that 1893 is where your soulmate resides. Have you met another woman besides Miss Griffiths?” He asked, eyebrow raised in curiosity. 

Spencer shook his head. 

“Then I believe Miss Griffiths is the one the stars have chosen for you.”

This was surreal. Spencer didn’t know how to handle it and although the questions were flying around in abundance in his head, he couldn’t manage to get any of them to come out of his mouth. “Will you be back tomorrow?” Benjamin asked.

“Yes, of course. Jack the Ripper is a world-famous case in my time. It’s my honor to be able to work on it, and whether or not anything else happens, I guess I will take it as it comes,” he smiled. “I don’t normally do that. I’m a man of science. I like answers.”

“Sometimes being comfortable with not knowing will allow the answers to come to you. Other times we don’t need them, so long as we enjoy what lay in front of us.” Benjamin stood up and held out his hand, shaking Spencer’s vigorously. There was an innate connection between them now. Two men who shared an experience, few, if any others, had ever experienced. “Spencer, I must caution you. Alana was quite taken aback when I first told her where I was from. At first, she ran, but then we met again and the world seemed right. She’s the best of my life. None of what happened to me, us, makes sense, but I don’t care to question it. I have everything I’ve wanted and if you allow yourself, you might as well.”

Biting his lip, Spencer turned to the door, hesitating before turning back around. “What if she can’t handle it?” He asked, laughing nervously. “I honestly don’t know if I am yet.”

“If your story is anything like mine, nothing will keep you apart.”

Less than 30 minutes later, Spencer was sitting in his apartment in 2011 again. It had been four days since his vacation started – another 10 to go before he returned to work. He was supposed to be relaxing, and while there wasn’t a tense muscle in his body, he was completely and utterly confused. 

If Eleise existed in 2011, he would ask her out without question. She was intelligent, intuitive, caring, beautiful. Despite his little time with her, they seemed quite similar.  
But how was he supposed to do this? A few seconds passed before he realized that it didn’t matter how – he didn’t need the answers– what mattered was that he wanted to. 

‘Other times we don’t need them, so long as we enjoy what lay in front of us.’

-

By 10 o’clock in the morning the following day, Spencer, Eleise and Kipling were walking the docks a short ride from Scotland Yard. Barnet was exactly where they’d expected him to be, his meaty hands and fingers deftly gutting the fish brought to shore. Kipling stepped forward first to show his badge and hopefully convince Barnet to come with them despite the fact that the case was five years old. “These are my associates, Dr. Reid and Miss Eleise Griffiths. Given the nature of the crimes lo those many years ago, we look at the case periodically. We have a few questions we would like to ask you, but you would need to come to the Yard with us.”

Barnet shot daggers in Eleise’s direction that made her skin crawl. “I was questioned years ago,” he said. “I want to put this behind me. Please, just…leave me alone.”

“It won’t take long, Sir,” Eleise said, stepping forward. “We just-“

“What is a woman doing with the Yard? Shouldn’t you be home with your husband?”  
Kipling shifted uncomfortably, agreeing with Barnet, but not daring to say anything. It seemed Tennyson held Dr. Reid in high esteem and he was already walking a tight rope with the chief.

Eleise bit her lip and took a deep breath. “I do not have a husband and I’m investigating with the Yard.” He was tall and wide and very imposing, but she stood her ground. She wanted to shake like a leaf, but she would make him think otherwise.

“If you have nothing to hide, then there should not be an issue with us asking you a few more questions, Mr. Barnet,” Spencer said calmly. 

Grumbling, Barnet agreed to come in for another few questions so long as he didn’t have to interact with Eleise. It took everything in Spencer to not punch him in the face, but she took it in stride and stayed silent on the ride back to the Yard.

Once inside, Spencer sat him down in the interrogation, which had none of the accouterments of the one back home. Eleise and Kipling would have to listen through the door. Before going inside, he strode over to Eleise and pulled off his suit jacket. “Now, I’m going to go in there and make him believe that I think he’s completely innocent. I’ll make him feel comfortable and then excuse myself, which is when you will go in. He will be handcuffed the entire time and Kipling and I will be outside when you question him. Does that all sound okay?”

“Yes,” she replied nervously. “Thank you, Dr. Reid.”

Spencer took a deep breath and walked into the interrogation room with all of the ease of a man who’d been doing this job for many years, casually sitting down at the table across from Barnet. “My apologies for having to bring you in. I hate to inconvenience you. It was Miss Griffiths that insisted we bring you in.”

“Figures,” he huffed. “I’ll answer any questions you have, Sir. I have nothing to hide.”

He’d referred to Spencer as Sir. It was almost too simple. “I do appreciate that. Where were you the night that Mary Kelly died?”

“I was living with my sister.”

“That doesn’t say where you were, just who you were living with,” Spencer replied.

Barnet looked dumbfounded, like he never expected someone to question him. “I was with my sister for most of the night.”

“Was she asleep?”

“What?”

Spencer repeated himself. “Was your sister asleep? If she was, she cannot account for your whereabouts.”

The two men went back and forth with Spencer seemingly letting the notion of an alibi go to move onto other questions, most of which had nothing to do with Mary Kelly.

“What is he doing?” Kipling whispered.

“He’s making Barnet think he has nothing to worry about. That he believes him wholeheartedly so that hopefully, when I question him, he will have a slip of the tongue.” It was what she and Spencer had discussed. Physical evidence was obviously out of the question so many years after the fact, but a confession was as good as gold. 

Kipling had never really thought of it that way. He was taught to search for evidence, connect the evidence to a suspect and close the case. He’d never been taught another way. “How do you know this will work?”

“I don’t,” Eleise replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “But as someone who has always had to sit on the sidelines, I feel like I’ve become adept at reading people, seeing how their minds work.”

Nearly 30 minutes passed before Spencer excused himself, stepping out of the room to give Eleise her chance. “You okay?” He asked.

“Yes…I can do this.”


	7. Chapter 7

“How are you going to approach him?” Spencer asked. The air just outside the interrogation stunk of anticipation, fear and frustration.

Taking a deep breath, Eleise spoke confidently. “In all likelihood, he’ll tense up when I enter and comment on my being a woman again, but I won’t engage him in that way.”

Though profiling was a long way off from even being considered a thought, Eleise took naturally to the idea of it. “Good. What will you do instead?”

“I’ll get him to start ranting about why he hates women so much.”

“Why?” Kipling exclaimed, rather loudly. “Won’t that just make him angry?”

“Exactly. Angry people are more likely to say something in the heat of the moment that they might regret – including a confession.”

Kipling’s mouth dropped open, dumbfounded, while Spencer just smiled at the floor, so proud of this woman he barely knew. “Correct.” Placing his hands on her shoulders, he assured her one final time. “You have a knack for this Eleise. You can do this. Myself and Kipling will be right here in case you need help. Just back up against the door and knock twice as a signal.” He didn’t like the idea of not being able to see her in the room, but two-way mirrors wouldn’t be invented for another 10 years.

Eleise took a minute to shake off a bit of the confidence she had in front of Spencer. Too confident and he might not know what to say, given his interactions with women most likely had him in the dominant role, but too seemingly weak and he would think he could walk all over her. There needed to be a delicate balance. 

When she walked through the door, Spencer felt his heart skip a beat. He had faith in her. He had no belief in Barnet. 

“Good morning, Mister Barnet.” With a file in hand, she sat across from Barnet and waited for a response.

“What are you doing here?”

“I will continue the questioning.”

“You most certainly will not. Where is Dr. Reid?” 

“He is indisposed,” she said, a bit shakily. Don’t let him see you break, Eleise. “I will continue in his absence.”

“I will not answer to a woman! Where is the other man that came to the docks? I will speak to him or Dr. Reid. No one else.”

Her jaw clenched tightly. Exhausted didn’t even begin to cover how tired she was of men’s doubts. “Officer Kipling has been told by my chief to defer to Dr. Reid and myself, so in the doctor’s absence I will be doing the questioning.”

Barnet jerked against the cuffs that anchored him to the table. “I refuse to answer any questions of yours.”

“Why is that? Why do you hate women so much, Mister Barnet?”

“I don’t hate all women. I hate women who don’t know their role – the blue-stockings of the world.”

“And I’m a blue stocking?”

“Yes,” he growled. “A young woman like you should be tending to a home and children, not pursuing intellectual pursuits best left to men.”

She let him ramble on and on. For nearly 15 minutes, he roared about women being only suited for work in the home. “She should have knowledge of music and singing and dancing and modern languages. Dealing with criminals and murderers is a man’s job.”

Sitting back in her chair with a frustrated huff, she continued to let him speak. He got more and more angry by the second, and she wondered when might be a good time to switch to talking about Mary Kelly. 

“You should know your place and leave me to be questioned by those more qualified.”

“Did Mary Kelly know her role?” Casually, she leaned into the table and began reading the file she’d brought in with her – an attempt to look both interested in and disinterested what Barnet had to say.

“What?” 

“Did Mary Kelly know her place?”

“I don’t know what you mean. What does that have to do with anything?

“It is why you are here,” Eleise replied coolly, setting Barnet’s nerves aflame. “We brought you in to talk about her. You say that a woman should know her role – that I don’t know mine, so I am asking, did Mary Kelly know her place?”

“She absolutely did not,” he snarled in response. “It’s what got her killed. If she hadn’t been out on the street, there would’ve been no need for her to die.”

That seemed an odd choice of words. Quickly, Eleise found herself wondering if Spencer caught the phrasing as well. 

“No need?”

“I-I-I just mean that the Ripper was targeting prostitutes. If she had listened to me and stayed at home like I told her to she wouldn’t have been targeted.”

She found that to be a rather convenient explanation, but she didn’t question it, choosing to rile him up further. “In a world where men determine what us women can and cannot do, it made it difficult for Ms. Kelly to afford her rent, hence why she turned to prostitution.”

“Mary was living with me. I was taking care of her. We didn’t have all the money in the world, but we were getting by.”

“And she wanted to help.”

“It was not her place to help! It was her place to stay at home and let me handle things. She disobeyed me!”

“So she deserved to be punished?” Eleise asked. Barnet screamed at the top of his lungs, his face turning as red as a tomato with each passing second. If it weren’t for the handcuffs keeping him tethered to the table, she would’ve been afraid. He thrashed around like a fish out of water - apt considering his profession. 

“Yes! She deserved it!” 

For the first time since she’d entered the room, she was afraid of him, but only showed it slightly through darting eyes and tensed muscles.

He spat as he spoke, blood vessels rising to the surface of his skin and bulging with each word. “I told her not to go out there, to stay with me and I would make things better for us, but she disobeyed me. She went out and made herself into a whore for other men. I loved her. I would’ve done anything for her and she broke my heart and spread her legs. She deserved every slash of my blade, every ounce of blood lost, every bone cracked and every breath taken. It was the least she deserved for breaking my heart.”

Eleise sat frozen in place, disbelief flooding over her as she latched onto that one word – my – he said ‘my’ blade. She’d done it. She’d gotten him to confess to Mary’s murder. She did it. “Your blade?”

“What?” He asked, nearly every muscle of his body twitching in anger. The heat radiated off him but chills ran up her spine.

“You said my blade, Mister Barnet. ‘She deserved every slash of my blade.’”

“I did not say my blade. I said the blade. I didn’t kill her. Why would I do that?”

She had two witnesses outside the door. They heard him confess. There was no getting out of this. “No. You said ‘my’ blade. You killed her because she disobeyed you. Because she dared to take care of herself. Because she dared not rely on you.” Eleise seethed with each word. Never in her life had she felt more disgusted with another human being. “You’re a sad excuse for a man, Mister Barnet.”

Growling, he lunged at the table and sent it scraping across the floor, lightly backing her into the wall of the room before Spencer and Kipling barged in.

“She broke my heart, so I took hers. Mary brought this on herself. If she’d known her role. If you damned women would know your role, these things wouldn’t happen to you.”

She pushed the table out of the way and walked toward the door, her body shaking with nerves and raw power – something she didn’t know what to do with. “And if it weren’t for this woman defying her role, you would still be out on the streets, instead of where you truly belong.”

Spencer handcuffed Barnet as Kipling began speaking on behalf of the department. In awe, Spencer watched as Eleise walked off and back toward her desk. “Do you need my help?” He asked Kipling. The other man shook his head, understanding where Spencer was headed.

Outside the interrogation room, the Yard buzzed about like it had been, oblivious to the confession that was obtained and the history made. “Ms. Griffiths,” he said, crouching down next to her desk. “Are you okay?”

“I…I can’t believe that worked. I doubted myself…my instincts regarding his guilt, but…I did it.”

“Yes,” he said with a smile. “You did it. Now you know not to doubt yourself. Did he hurt you?” 

“No, not at all. Just my brain with his stupidity, but otherwise I…oh, Spencer, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.” Without thinking, she reached around his neck and hugged him. Both lace and leather, both lead and diamond – she had two sides and they fought for dominance, but maybe she didn’t have to be one or the other. She squeezed tighter and tighter until she realized what she was doing and where. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. I-I just can’t thank you enough for believing in me.”

Spencer bit his lip, his breath hitching when she pulled away. “Everyone should have someone to believe in them.” He stood up and felt a chill, realizing that his hand had been unconsciously entangled with hers and now that it had been pulled away, something was missing. “I’m going to go tell Chief Tennyson about your work. Actually…would you care to come with me? I’m sure he would like to here it from you.”

“Yes!” She said excitedly, her smile waning for a moment when Kipling emerged from the room with a cuffed Barnet. “Thank you so much.”

The two walked across the Yard to Tennyson’s office. Spencer rapped lightly on the door and waited for his permission to enter, ushering Eleise in close behind him. “Sir, there has been some progress in the case. Miss Griffiths?”

“Oh, me? Sorry, Sir. Yes. While I was interrogating Mister Barnet, I got him to slip up. He killed Mary Kelly. He didn’t admit to killing any of the other women so I don’t know if he is the Ripper, but he did kill Mary.” 

Chief Tennyson stood up from his desk and smiled. “Congratulations, Miss. Griffiths.” He stretched out his hand and shook hers. “How did you manage to get the confession?”

“I made him angry. He didn’t like that I was allowed to work with the Yard, so I let him rant about his hatred for women. When he left the door open so to speak, I brought up Mary and he spiraled, saying that she disobeyed him and she didn’t know her role, so when she broke his heart, he took hers.”

Tennyson glanced between her and Spencer for a moment, a knowing smile, that of a man who could see the whole picture, painting itself across his face. “It seems that Dr. Reid was correct about your abilities, Miss Griffiths.” Before he could say anything, he was interrupted by a phone call. “That was the local paper. They saw Barnet come in about two hours ago and want me to interview with them for tomorrow’s paper. I will no doubt be bringing up your name.”

“Thank you, Sir!” She cried. “Thank you so much!”

“Miss Griffiths, I have been paying attention the past few days and I believe you’ve shown quite the initiative. If you care to, I would like to offer you the position of officer-in-training.”

Her eyes washed over with tears and she nodded. “Sir? It’s been my dream to work with the Yard. I-“

“You have done plenty to prove your worth, Miss Griffiths. I ask that you finish the paperwork we’ve had rolling about this week, and don’t worry I will make sure that Officer Kipling doesn’t give you any more, then once it’s done I will transfer your position myself and you can get started.”

“Thank you again, Sir!”

Eleise shook Tennyson’s hand when it was offered again. Spencer shook his hand as well before they both walked out of the room and toward her desk. “Spencer, I-“

“You don’t need to thank me,” he said. “I’m happy to have given you the opportunity.” There was a slight pang in his stomach, like this might be the end of things. Kipling was likely questioning Barnet further about the Ripper murders, but the others were far too calculated to be the result of a man so frenzied as Barnet. 

“Spencer, may I ask you something?”

“Of course, Eleise.”

I will create the life I want.

“I know this isn’t exactly the sort of thing a woman does, but I was wondering if you would like to come to family’s home for dinner tonight. As sort of a thank you for everything.” She couldn’t meet his gaze, but miraculously the words came out of her mouth. “My mother and father would be there. I do live with them, but I want to thank you again, in some small way.”

Spencer pursed his lips and decided to throw caution to the wind. “Are you asking me in a romantic sense, Miss Eleise?”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “No! I-I-I-“

“What if I wanted it to be romantic? As I said, there is no need to thank me.”

Eleise felt her heart flutter at the confession. Now she was the one to throw the proverbial rulebook out the window. “Are you asking to court me, Dr. Reid?”

“I believe I am.”

“Then I believe I accept.”


	8. Chapter 8

After excusing herself to the restroom at work and doing a little bit of a happy dance, Eleise promised Spencer that her family would be ready to receive him for dinner at about 7 o’clock that evening. It would give them a couple of hours to get dinner ready and Eleise just a little extra time to work through everything that had happened over the course of the past few days.

She – a woman – had been given the chance to prove herself in a professional capacity and then she even had the confidence to ask a man to dinner. It was almost unheard of for women like her, but knowing that she stood out amongst the crowd made her feel beautiful and powerful. 

“I can’t believe he said yes,” she laughed, walking around her house in a daze like a school girl with a crush. She couldn’t stop playing with her hair.

Eleanor looked on disapprovingly. She loved her daughter more than anything, but she didn’t fit the mold of what women should be. It always made her wonder whether she would face adversity. She didn’t want that for her child.

As she went about fixing up dinner - carrot soup, baked haddock and orange custard pudding for dessert – she prayed for the best for her daughter. It would be easier, she thought, if she were more like other women her age, but she’d long ago realized she couldn’t change who her daughter was.

The house smelled of onions and sweet herbs, fresh fish and the somewhat indescribable scent of breadcrumbs. “Do you think this young man is good enough for my girl?” Alfred asked.

“Father, he is without a doubt one of the most unique men I’ve ever met in my life. As of right now, he’s the kindest and most intelligent too. Plus, he’s handsome.”

“You’re blushing,” he exclaimed. “I trust your judgment, love, but you do know I’ll want to approve of him. Your mother will too.”

Eleise was positive her father would, and she was pretty sure her mother would too, but her mother was a bit harder to impress. “You will love him. I’m sure of it.”

\-----

In the hours before he was to arrive at Eleise’s home, Spencer didn’t know what to do with himself. He didn’t live there. Hell, he didn’t even live then, so instead of wandering around he went back to the alley and through the doorway to his apartment.

The commotion of the past few days made him neglect his phone much more than he would normally. When he checked it, he had nearly 100 text messages from everyone on the team wondering how he was enjoying his vacation. One particular message from Morgan asked whether or not he’d met a special someone, because he deserved to. At first, Spencer wasn’t going to answer, because truly how was he supposed to – ‘well yes, Morgan, I have, but she doesn’t live here, she lives in 1890s England.’ Wouldn’t really go over well.

S: Been relaxing, reading a lot. I have met someone. Her name is Eleise. Excited to see where things go.

And also insanely nervous because she lives in another time period, but he left that part out.

M: Hey! Good for you, kid. If she works out, we need to meet her. She needs family approval.

S: Of course.

How? Maybe this was a big mistake. Even if he fell in love with her how was he supposed to tell her and his friends that he’d somehow transcended time periods to find her.

Butterflies fluttered around in his stomach and although he was weary about what he would do down the road, he couldn’t convince himself not to go through with it. There was something pulling him toward her. He’d heard about the red string of fate that tied two people together and he found himself wondering whether or not it was real and if it could cross time periods.

At a quarter to seven, he went through the door once more and noted how his clothes had changed yet again. He wasn’t in the same outfit as before. Instead, he donned a black and white tuxedo ensemble, complete with tailcoat, stiff collar, cuff links, waistcoat and shiny black shoes. It was more dressed up than he’d ever be in his time, but for the occasion seemed both appropriate but more informal. With more accessories, he’d be suited for a ballroom.

As he walked to the address she’d given him earlier, he passed a small florist and stopped inside, grabbing a half dozen red roses for Eleise and a half dozen pink carnations for her mother. When he arrived at her home, he hesitated knocking on the door and then took a deep breath.

Eleise opened the door, her smiling face frozen in shock. “For you,” Spencer said. He couldn’t see his face but he was pretty sure he was as red as the roses he’d given her.

“This is my father, Alfred, and my mother, Eleanor. Mother, Father, this is Dr. Spencer Reid.”

Spencer did his best to shake her father’s hand firmly before turning to her mother. “Mrs. Griffiths, these are for you.” Although on first appearance her mother looked difficult to impress, a faint smile could be seen. “Thank you for inviting me into your home. It smells wonderful in here.”

“We have carrot soup and baked haddock for dinner. I hope you enjoy fish,” Eleise said, ushering him toward the dining room.

The nerves he felt earlier slowly faded away as Eleise and her parents invited him in. Her home was not big by any means, but it was warm. Off the dining room, was a small room with a sitting chair and a desk with a typewriter. Presumably, the bedrooms constituted the upstairs. “You have a beautiful home. I’m sure that whatever you have for dinner will be delicious. I’m looking forward to it.”

Pleasantries were exchanged while Eleise and her mother transferred the food from the stove to the table, placing the soup in front of Eleanor and the haddock in front of Alfred. In Victorian times it was common for the main dish to be served by the ‘master of the house’ and the soup or side to be served by the ‘mistress.’

“So Dr. Reid,” Alfred started.

“Please, call me Spencer.”

“Spencer, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you fostering my daughter’s professional abilities. She has a real knack for people, knowing who they are, but so many men wouldn’t give her the chance because she’s a woman.” It was a frustrating truth.

Spencer graciously thanked both him and Eleise’s mother as the food was doled out. “I believe in merit above all else. Your daughter has the ability and whether or not she is a woman doesn’t matter to me. She was spectacular today. Did she tell you she managed to get confession from Joseph Barnet in the case of Mary Kelly?”

“She did” He replied excitedly. “She didn’t go into much detail though.” Alfred decided not to tell Spencer that Eleise had coasted over the case and gone straight to fretting about whether or not Spencer would like the dinner they’d planned. “I would love to hear from you.”

Over dinner, Spencer regaled Eleise’s parents with her triumph in the interrogation room. “She read him like an open book and used his weakness against him.”

“What was his weakness?” Eleanor asked.

“His hatred of women. His belief that women are good for one thing only – homemaking. Eleise made him angry and in his anger he slipped up, mentioning that the blade used to kill Mary Kelly was his own.”

“Well done, dear.” Her mother smiled demurely but proudly.

Eleise’s chest puffed up in pride at her mother’s congratulations. Though Spencer didn’t know for sure, it seemed her mother was the more traditional and her father the more progressive. She likely didn’t hear things like this, regarding her profession anyway, from her mother. Alfred stood up from the table and excused himself to the restroom, kissing his daughter’s head along the way. “Everything is delicious, Mrs. Griffiths.”

“Thank you very much.”

When Alfred returned from the restroom, he asked about Spencer’s professional background, which he spoke of without going into too much time-bending detail, as well as his family. “My father is no longer in the picture. He walked out on my mother and I when I was younger.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, hesitating. “I will withhold judgment.”

“Don’t feel the need on my account,” Spencer laughed. “My father helped create me but that is as far as his parental duties go. There’s no love lost between us.”

Eleise just watched Spencer and her father talk in awe; they got along splendidly.

Thankfully for Spencer, the conversation moved to lighter subjects and skipped over talk of his mother. Explaining her schizophrenia, especially in this time period, to people he’d just met wasn’t something he wanted to do just yet.

With dinner gone, Eleanor brought out the orange custard pudding, which Spencer had to keep himself from inhaling; it was absolutely delicious. He asked about them, how her parents met (apparently Alfred came from a well-to-do family and was disowned when he fell for Eleanor, a farmer’s daughter), how he got into his line of work (he’d never imagined doing anything else) and what Eleise was like growing up. Those were the most fun stories. “Oh, she’s been a rowdy girl since she was a child,” Eleanor said. “I can’t tell you how many times she ruined her pretty white dresses because she wanted to play in the dirt.”

“It was more fun, Mother,” Eleise laughed.

Her parents continued to embarrass their daughter with stories from her childhood as they finished dessert and Eleanor prepared some tea. It was nearly two hours before Eleise and Spencer made their way into her father’s office area to speak alone, though of course under the watchful eye of both her parents. “Dinner was wonderful, Eleise. Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course,” she replied, her face hot under the blush.

“Do your parents know that this dinner was not strictly a thank you for me?” He spoke quietly, not wanting to be overheard.

She shook her head. “Not yet. I plan on telling them after you leave tonight. Although, I think they might suspect with the flowers you brought me. You even brought some for my mother, which I can tell she appreciated. She’s not an easy woman to please.”

“It was the least I could do for an amazing dinner. As for the flowers, I’m sure you know the meaning behind them.”

“I do,” she replied shyly. “I hope we can move in that direction, with my parents’ approval of course.”

“Do you think I have it? Their approval?”

“I think so. You might officially be allowed to court me soon, Dr. Reid.”

The two laughed nervously, a silence though not an uncomfortable one, hanging between them for a moment. “You have a gigglemug,” she said, bringing her hands in front of her face in embarrassment.

“A continually smiling face?” He asked. He was pretty sure that’s what the term meant. “Believe it or not, I’m not always smiling. I think it might be you.”

“Don’t make me blush.”

“You already are.”

He didn’t want to overstay his welcome so he ushered Eleise in back by her parents and thanked them profusely for a wonderful meal. “I hope we meet again soon,” he said, shaking Alfred’s hand again. “Eleise, good luck at work. If Officer Kipling gives you a hard time, let me know. I’ll make sure it stops.”

“Thank you…for everything.”

As the door closed behind him, he smiled to himself and started for home once again. He had no clue how any of this was supposed to work, but he wanted it, and right now, that seemed more important than anything else.


	9. Chapter 9

The moment Alfred closed the door behind Spencer, he turned to his daughter, who was already looking at him in delighted expectation. “What do you think of him Father? Mother?” She bounced up and down in excitement, the floors creaking under her feet.

“I have to say I’m very impressed with him, my dear,” Alfred said with a smile. “He’s a gentleman. He’s very intelligent. He’s very respectful and he seems a rather progressive man.” He seemed to be the kind of man every father would want for his daughter.

Eleise turned to her mother, anxiously awaiting her verdict. “He seems very much like your father…a good man. He brought me pink carnations – my favorite. Did you tell him, dear?”

The young woman shook her head. “No, I didn’t. I think he’s just very good at reading people and situations.”

“Speaking of,” Alfred said, smirking as he led his wife and daughter into the office, which doubled as a sitting room. “He gave you red roses, my love. What do you think that means?”

A blush spread over her face and she buried her rosy cheeks in her hands. “I think that means he might be smitten with me…and I him. As a matter of fact, he told me he would like to court me…with your permission of course.”

For a moment, she wondered what they would say, but she could see it in their eyes. They liked him as much as she did. “I approve.”

“Oh thank you, Father!”

“As do I…just, be careful.”

Eleise glanced at her mother curiously. “How so?”

“Well, he is an American man. A relationship with him, if it were lead to a marriage, would involve a big physical change either on your part or his.”

She hadn’t thought of that before. Some might be deterred by the possibility, but Eleise wasn’t. She felt a pull to Spencer; there was an inherent kindness to him that she’d never experienced before and despite the possible challenges, she didn’t want to give that up. “I understand. He’s just…he’s one in a million, Mother.”

“I think I agree.”

Alfred placed his hand over his daughter’s and gave it a light squeeze. “As long as he asks me officially, just so I don’t have to hear the neighbors talk, I have no problems.”

“Thank you!” She exclaimed, excusing herself to run upstairs to her room. She had a diary that was waiting to be filled.

\------

The following day at the Yard, Eleise told Spencer of her father’s wishes and he quickly agreed, saying that he would stop by during the day. “I’ll actually be stepping out at mid-day, so I’ll stop by then.”

“He’ll be at work actually,” Eleise grimaced.

“Would he mind if he met him there?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Spencer smiled, butterflies flying around his stomach and smacking into its walls. In 2011, there were fewer than few people who needed their parents’ approval for dating, so the thought of officially asking made his stomach turn. “Then I’ll go visit him then.”

“Fantastic,” she replied. “I’m rather excited.”

“So am I.” He laughed but quickly cleared his throat and kept a more professional demeanor, not for his sake, but for hers. Unfortunately, a woman could gain quite a reputation even from the smallest of perceived romantic gestures.

Thankful for his care for her standing in the community, Eleise excused herself to get to work on the remaining paperwork. “Once this is all done, I’ll be a Bobbie-in-training. And it’s all thanks to you.”

A passerby rolled his eyes at her girlish excitement, making Spencer want to scream. “Not all to me.”

\------

In the hours since Barnet’s arrest, a number of other officers and the chief had had a go at questioning him. Though they wanted him to be the Ripper, if for no other reason than to finally put a face to the infamous name, he refused to admit he had anything to do with the other women’s deaths.

Tennyson told Spencer that he was free to continue investigating if he so chose to, but that was probably the end of his time with Scotland Yard.

“As much as I would like to stay on the case, it is probably better that I don’t considering…I’m not from around here.” He wasn’t thinking about how his actions here could change his time, but being involved in the Ripper case could make a big wave he didn’t need.

“My thoughts exactly.” Benjamin closed the door to his office before sitting at his desk and focusing on Spencer. “Now that you’ve concluded your work with us, what do you plan to do?”

Suddenly, Spencer was grateful that he had someone who knew his predicament. “Well, I actually plan on visiting Eleise’s father at his place of work to officially ask him if I can court his daughter?”

The chief’s eyes lit up, a smile crawling across his face. “Do you have courting where you come from?”

“No,” he laughed. “Not at all. We call courting dating and umm…things are very different.”

“No supervised meetings?”

“No,” Spencer replied. “People can hold hands and kiss before marriage, even do other things if you so choose.” The idea of a non-engaged couple living together would be scandalous here. “Whatever Miss Griffiths wants is fine by me though.” He hadn’t actually thought about that, but if courting and extreme chastity were what she was comfortable with and wanted to abide by, he would. Though he couldn’t deny he really wanted to kiss her.

“Well, good luck, Spencer,” Benjamin replied, extending his hand. “If you need anything or just want to talk about your unique circumstances, I’m available.”

“Thank you again.”

Now to ask Alfred Griffiths for his permission to date his daughter.

Maybe he’d go outside into one of the alleys and throw up first.

\------

Before he’d parted from Eleise that morning, she handed him a small slip of paper with her father’s work address on it. With it in his pocket, he left the Yard’s building and took a deep breath. The feeling of needing to vomit was strong.

Did the weather know? Because it felt like it. As he made his way to the address Eleise provided, with an umbrella in hand (because somehow the doorway had known it was going to rain today, freaky), he pondered how he was going to go about asking Alfred for his permission. Should he buy him lunch? Would that be inappropriate? Or would it prove good intentions? He should know the answer considering the catalogue of knowledge floating around in his brain, but the nerves were pushing what he knew around too fast for him to grasp it.

Upon his arrival, he got a few strange looks from other members of the firm, wondering who this American man was that was calling on their partner. “May I speak to Mr. Alfred Griffiths?” He asked, his hands shaking around the handle of the umbrella.

“What is it in regards to?”

“His daughter, Eleise. My name is Dr. Spencer Reid.”

“Come in from the cold,” he said, ushering Spencer toward the chair near the front door. “I’ll get him for you momentarily.”

Spencer sat nervously in the waiting room of the firm, his leg bouncing up and down in an attempt to get rid of some of his nervous energy. Despite seeing Alfred’s smiling face moments later, the nerves were still there. “Good afternoon, Dr. Reid. How can I help you?”

“Well, Mr. Griffiths, I…” Why was this so hard?

Because no one courted in 2011.

“I-“

Mr. Griffiths smiled, telling Spencer he could relax without words.

“I would like your permission to court your daughter.”

There. It was out. Now to keep from throwing up on Alfred’s shoes.

“What are your intentions for her?”

That he could answer honestly and without hesitation. “I want to get to know her. She is a rose in a field of tulips. She stands out. I want to see her thrive. Reach the potential so many deny she even has and maybe grow to love her.” He wanted to love her. It hadn’t been a week. This was insane and scary and exhilarating all at the same time. It was everything all at once.

Alfred’s smile faded just a bit, but it didn’t disappear, it just became more earnest. “Then I believe we want the same things for my Eleise.” He extended his hand toward Spencer and shook it firmly and finally the butterflies stilled. “I would be happy to give you my blessing.”

“Thank you, Sir. I promise I won’t hurt her.”

He felt a pang in his stomach. There was one big thing that could easily come between them and it wasn’t the Atlantic Ocean, but he couldn’t pay that any mind right now. Not when he wanted this. In his 30 years of life, he’d rarely pursued what he wanted save for his position with the Bureau. He always put others first and now he was following where his heart led.

“See that you don’t,” Alfred said. It wasn’t threatening. Just a father wanting the best for his daughter. “She deserves the world.”

“I agree.”

After another few words passed between the two and another member of the firm, Spencer excused himself, thanking Alfred once again before allowing him to get back to work.

Again, the weather seemed to reflect his mood. The sun peeked out from the clouds as he walked back toward the alley where the door to his apartment remained. Walking through, he collapsed on the couch and stared up at the ceiling, slightly giddy at his current situation.

His phone rang and caught him off guard. Being in Victorian times for days on end meant that modernity took a side seat. He hadn’t really heard the phone in days despite having responded to text messages. “Hello?”

It was Morgan. “Hey kid. We got back from a case early and are going out for some drinks. You want in?”

“Sure. You picking me up?”

“Too relaxed to take the train?” Morgan laughed.

He’d go with that. “Yea.”

\------

Morgan could tell Spencer was taken with something or someone the moment he slipped into the car. “Woah. You’ve been having a good few days?”

“Definitely. I’m going to take that special someone out on a date soon.”

“Really? Kid, you taking some time off was the best decision you’ve made in years!”

He couldn’t really argue that.

“So what’s her name?”

“Eleise Griffiths.”

“Pretty name. Pretty girl?”

“Very. Soft brown hair, green eyes, perfect smile.”

Morgan glanced over as he drove away to see Spencer staring out the window with a far off smile. “I’m happy for you, Kid.” Now he had to start a pool with the rest of the team to see how long it would take for Boy Wonder to fall in love.

As soon as he and Morgan pulled up to the bar, the rest of the team could see the same thing Morgan saw. They prodded him with question after question and Spencer answered as best he could without going into the detail that would make him sound like a madman. Not yet. They were his best friends. He’d probably have to say something eventually. But not now.

When he went up to the bar to grab the first round of drinks (considering he was in a celebratory mood), he got approached by two different women, but he didn’t even entertain the idea of them, telling them both that he was taken. Technically he wasn’t, at least not yet, but he his heart yearned for one woman and one woman only.


	10. Chapter 10

Fending off questions about the woman that had him so starry-eyed was easier said than done, but he managed. As Garcia and JJ poked and prodded, he just told them that she was amazing and he didn’t want to go into too much detail because the relationship was still so new. That was true, but he also didn’t know how to explain her just yet without giving them the impression that she was very much “not from around here.”

But after a fairly relaxing night out and a dream-filled sleep, he woke up in a jumble of nerves. He was officially courting now. If she lived in these times, he’d probably take her to his favorite book store and grab a cup of coffee, possibly even take a walk around the nearby lake so they could get to know each other more. Victorian courting rituals wouldn’t allow as much freedom, but it didn’t matter, he’d do what he had to for her. 

Talking in her own home was what was considered appropriate, so he’d flitted through the dampened, cloud-covered streets of Victorian England and up the steps before knocking on the door and hoping she was home. When her mother answered the door, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Hello, Mrs. Griffiths. Is Eleise home? I was hoping we might be able to get to know one another a bit better.”

“Come in,” she smiled, her expression much warmer than it had been when they’d first met. “Eleise, your gentleman caller is here to see you!” 

As she came flying down the stairs, the pitter-patter of her shoes playing a sweet tune, he felt himself hold his breath. Her plain white morning dress floated delicately over the wooden steps with a few miniature, embroidered roses donning the hemline. “Spencer, I’m so happy to see you.”

She crossed the floors in record time and had to stop herself from hugging him. Any kind of touching before marriage was inappropriate, but all she wanted to do was rest her head against his chest. She might have been able to get away with a touch of the hand had it been her father who was home, but her mother would never allow such a thing. “Mother, do you mind if Spencer and I head into the sitting room to speak.”

“Of course. I’ll be out here cooking for a while and then downstairs to do some of the wash,” she replied. “Dr. Reid, if you wouldn’t mind sitting across from Eleise, in her father’s sitting chair, rather than on the couch, I would very much appreciate it.”

“As you wish, Mrs. Griffiths.” He tipped his hat in her direction and ushered Eleise into the sitting room, watching as the dress billowed when she sat down. “Those roses are beautiful,” he said, motioning toward the hemline of her dress. “Did you do that yourself?”

“Yes,” she sighed proudly. “I’ve never been that much of an embroiderer, but Mother insisted I learn in case my future husband ever needed something sewn up. Though I hated it at first, it became a way for the two of us to spend quality time just the two of us.”

Spencer leaned back into the chair her father normally occupied and placed his hat in his lap before he rubbed his fingers over the slightly scratchy material of the armchair. Despite the texture, he found himself easing back into the chair and relaxing. 

“So, Spencer. Tell me how you came across the sea. Why did you want to be in law enforcement?”

That was a loaded question. “I assume it came from being made fun of as a child. I went to university when I was very young. I was 12 actually.”

Eleise’s face lit up, her mouth dropping open in astonishment. “My word! I knew you were intelligent, but I had no idea. What did you study?”

“Chemistry, engineering and psychology, as well as a newer field, sociology. The latter two allow me to read people very well. I think you would love that.”

“I would love to go to University,” she said wistfully. “Maybe some day.” She quickly turned the conversation back toward him, not wanting to wallow in what couldn’t be. “Why were you made fun of?”

Not something he really wanted to revisit, but he wanted her to know him, all of him. “When I was younger, I was very small. I wasn’t popular and because I knew so much more than my classmates no one could relate to me.”

“That’s no excuse,” she said, chiding those the made of him despite not being in the room. “Children can be incorrigible. I was also singled out because my parents didn’t have much money when I was a child.”

Unfortunately some things never changed. “On to happier things,” Spencer said, breaking the silence. “I find that when I want to get to know someone, it helps to ask seemingly random questions. You answer them quickly with the first answer that comes to your mind.”

“Oh that sounds like fun. You ask me first?”

Nodding, he pulled a few questions up to the front of his mind. “What is your favorite color and why?”

“Oh, I love yellow and purple. I can’t choose. Yellow just reminds me of the sun and makes me feel happy and purple, light though, like lavender reminds me of my child. It’s sweet and powerful at the same time.”

For hours he questioned her, questions of seemingly no consequence, but held the answers to the parts of her he might not see on the surface. She loved nighttime the most. After her parents went to bed as it allowed her to be at home with her own thoughts – the bright future she hoped for and the dreams she chased. 

If she could be a flower she’d be coneflowers because they tend to attract butterflies. Her splurge food of choice was chocolatey pastries and if she could travel to any place in the world, she’d go to America. Ironic.

“Now, I want to ask you some questions, Dr. Reid,” she interjected, her cheeks rosy with blush as her eyes cast down to the floor. Her mother wasn’t within earshot, as scandalous as that might seem to others of the era, so there was no need to address him so formally, so he was pretty sure that she was subtly flirting. Normally he didn’t pick up on that kind of thing, but being here and having to be so aware of what he did and didn’t do must’ve been heightening his senses. “Okay first question, what is the best gift that anyone has ever given you?”

She probably couldn’t have started with a more difficult question. He had to really think about it in general, but then add in the fact that he had to make sure he didn’t mention anything from the year 2011 and it made it that much more difficult. “I have to think, hold on,” he said, leaning forward, his hands resting in contemplation in front of his mouth. “

The first thing that came to his mind was a book about Carl Sagan, but he hadn’t even been born yet. Then his more sentimental side emerged. “I guess I would have to say a leather bound journal. My mother gave it to me when I was young and starting to be made fun of. She told me that writing down my feelings might help me to work through them. It was brown and a little rough around the edges, but it helped me.”

Smiling sincerely, she asked another few questions much more simple than the first thankfully. Did he prefer to listen or talk? Talk if he had someone willing to listen. Who did he admire the most? His mother. Easiest question in the world. Would he rather have more time or more money? Time, of course. More opportunity to learn. “Okay this one is different. Would you rather be able to talk to animals or be able to speak in any language in the world?”

“How could you ask that? It’s too hard!” He laughed. He’d love to be able to talk to animals. As a kid, he probably would’ve had more friends that way, but the ability to talk in any language in the world? He spoke many: English, Korean, Russian, some Spanish and French, but the possibility of more… “I think I would speak any language in the world. I would love to be able to just fly somewhere and speak another’s language.”

“Fly? That would be something wouldn’t it.”

Oops. He needed to be more careful. Planes hadn’t been invented yet.

“It would,” he laughed nervously. 

Mrs. Griffiths floated in and out of the room on occasion, taking part in their conversation. “This is an interesting method of getting to know one another. But I kind of like it. It’s unconventional. Like you, Dr. Reid.”

“I’m unconventional?”

“At least around here, yes.” 

That was definitely an understatement. 

Glancing at the grandfather clock, Eleise noted the approaching hour. “My father will be home in about an hour and I should really help my mother with dinner, but would you be able to come by the same time tomorrow, and the day after, and maybe the day after,” she giggled. “This has been so much fun.”

Spencer stood up from the chair and felt a rumble in his stomach. Through all their talking, neither had eaten anything. “I would love that.” When they both walked out of the room, their hands brushed lightly against the other. Courting was hard. He wanted to grasp her hand and kiss it at the very least, but he couldn’t – especially not with her mother in view. “Until tomorrow, Eleise.”

“Until tomorrow, Spencer.”

The door closed behind him and Eleise fell against the door with a sigh. “Mother, he’s amazing. Is it possible for people to fall in love so fast? I just want to know everything about him.”

“It’s not common. So many women now marry because it’s expected, and some are lucky to fall in love over the course of their marriage, but fewer are even luckier to be in love from the moment they meet.” Like she and Alfred. Despite the things they’d been through and the disagreements they still had, Eleanor loved her husband with her heart and soul. 

“I can’t wait until tomorrow.”

Eleanor passed her daughter a few plates and asked her to start setting the dinner table. “I’m happy for you, my love.”  
-

Over the next couple of days, Spencer returned to the hole in the wall home on the rainy English road. No amount of precipitation could take away the joy he felt as he approached her door each day.

It had been just over a week since he’d met her. Nine days to be exact, which meant he only had five days before he had to return to work and not visit her as often. 

Being there with her had felt like home, so he hated thinking about what it would be like going back to work – no matter how much he loved his job. Instead of thinking about it, he decided to meet up with his teammates again since they were all having dinner at Rossi’s house.

When he walked inside, they all made jokes about “long time no see” since it was weird not having him around. “How’s it been?” Hotch asked. “Having off. Taking a breather.”

“It’s been great. At first I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with myself, but I’ve been finding things to do.” Like traveling to Victorian England and working on the Jack the Ripper case with a beautiful woman that he was somehow already falling for.

Morgan clapped him on the back as Emily handed over a glass of mine. “I know what Pretty Boy has been doing,” he laughed. “How’s your pretty lady…Eleise, right?”

“Yes, please, do tell,” Garcia clapped excitedly. “Have you seen her since the other night? What have you done for dates? When can we meet her? All those good things.”

Smiling into the rim of his glass, he tried to formulate his thoughts. “I’ve been seeing her for a couple of hours every day. We grab coffee and talk.” They did talk but the coffee thing was a bit of a stretch. “Eventually, you can meet her, but I’m still getting to know her and I don’t want all of you bombarding her with questions and scaring her away.”

“Would we do that?” Rossi asked, a knowing laugh bubbling up and causing him to almost choke on his wine. 

Emily was already pouring herself a second glass when she replied. “Oh, absolutely. Don’t worry, Reid. We understand. We’ll try and go easy on her when the time comes. Is she shy?”

“A bit, yea. Probably one of the many reasons I like her. She’s me.”

“You can’t leave us there,” JJ added. “Tell us about her. What does she do? What does she look like? Where does she live? The basics.”

He had to tread lightly. “Well, she lives nearby. Just a few blocks away.” Technically right inside his own house. “She actually just got a promotion with the police department.”

“DC cop?” Rossi asked. “What’s her name? I might know her.”

“Her name’s Eleise Griffiths, but she’s just transferred there from London, Ohio.”

“Wow, that’s a big change from small town to big city law enforcement. She handling it okay?”

“It’s a lot to get used to, but she’s very intelligent and driven so I’m sure she won’t have a problem after a few days. As for what she looks like…she’s gorgeous.” He drifted off a moment, his eyes fixating on a twinkling light near the ceiling. “She’s a modest dresser, but it only amplifies how pretty she is. She has slightly wavy light brown hair, beautiful green eyes so piercing they could lock you in place and her smile…”

“You are one love sick puppy,” Morgan laughed.

“Shut up.” He sipped at his wine. It was true, but he wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to tell Morgan to shut up. “She’s gorgeous. I could look at her all day every day and still not run out of things to find beautiful.”

As he rambled on and on, the rest of the BAU sat in contented silence. Spencer had been through enough in his still short life and he deserved the world. The dreamy eyed look he gave them told them it had arrived and her name was Eleise Griffiths.


	11. Chapter 11

“Babygirl, you didn’t.”

Grimacing, Penelope looked up at her Chocolate Thunder through rounded eyes. “I did,” she replied, lengthening her words, “But I’ll tell you why I did. Reid is our Boy Genius and I just love him so much that the thought of anything happening to him when he’s already been through so much is just too much for my little heart to handle, so I checked out the name he gave us.”

Morgan pinched the bridge of his nose in between his thumb and forefinger. “You really shouldn’t have…” He mumbled. “What did you find?”

“That’s the thing, I didn’t find anything.”

She stared at the screen in earnest, clicking through the various windows she’d opened so Morgan could see what she was up against. “There’s nothing her for an Eleise Griffiths from London, Ohio. Now I know what you’re going to say. There’s a possibility that he just wasn’t ready to give us the information about her so he made something up and that’s kind of what I’m hoping for, but what if he is seeing someone and they’re not who they say they are.”

“That’s a stretch don’t you think, Babygirl?” He asked. If he were in Reid’s shoes, he probably would’ve made up another name too. As much as the team meant well, they could be overwhelming. 

Garcia nervously lifted her coffee cup to her mouth, taking sip after sip in an attempt to give herself time to formulate a coherent thought. “Is it though?” She asked finally. “This team has been targeted time and time again. Gideon was targeted, you got accused of murder, JJ and Emily were taken from us, Reid’s had a whole host of other issues, Hotch was personally targeted by the Reaper, I mean…is it that much of a stretch to be nervous about Reid getting hurt…again?”

“No, but Garcia you shouldn’t have gone behind his back like this. This is why he’s hesitant to tell us things.”

“I know, I know…What do we do?”

When Morgan felt the buzzing in his pocket, he knew they had a case. Standing up, he wrapped his arms around Garcia and told her the one thing she probably didn’t want to hear. “I think if you’re truly that worried, you need to come clean to him about your search and ask him. And if he tells you something you don’t want to hear, you need to trust him.”

“Dammit.”

-

Hello Diary,

As a child, I never wanted the things that typical girls wanted. While they twirled and danced in frilly dresses, I preferred playing in the dirt, much to my mother’s chagrin. They loved pinks and I loved blues. They wanted to grow up and get married to their one true love and I wanted to become a police officer – something that had never been done before. I didn’t pay men any mind and now here I am as a training officer with Scotland Yard. I’m doing something no man ever thought I could – until Spencer. He opened up my world in more ways than one.

He’s…a beautiful enigma – intelligent, kind, beautiful, yet still so mysterious. To him, I am an equal, someone that is worthy of a listening ear and a kind word. I’ve never met anyone like him before and I don’t think I ever will. Aside from my father, he is different from any other man I have ever met.

Whenever I saw men and women courting I wondered how two people could commit themselves to each other so quickly and manage to have a lasting, loving relationship. Surely they would need more time together to form such a lasting bond. With Spencer, I understand. 

The more I learn about him the more I want to know. There’s a story in his eyes to which I’m not privy yet. Sometimes there is even a sadness there, but there is so much happiness and hope in them too. 

I hope he wants the same as I do. 

***

“Eleise? Is Spencer coming by again today?” Eleanor called into the upstairs bedroom. 

“Yes, mother! Father will be coming home early to accompany us on our walk,” she said, floating down the stairs in her night clothes. “What dress do you think I should wear?”

“What about the one with the fitted top and the flounced sleeves? The almost purple and blue one with the lace trim at the bottom. You haven’t worn that one in a while.” Eleanor was wary about her daughter falling too far too quickly, but she’d rather have her girl a little fanciful and free than alone. Eleise was a capable young woman, much more so than she had ever been, but to be taken care of was a special thing. She wanted that for her daughter.

Eleise ran excitedly toward her mother to place a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you, Mother. I’m very nervous.”

“Why?”

“This is the next step. Do you…do you think he could be the one for me, Mother?”

“He seems genuine,” Eleanor replied. “He is kind and brilliant and nice to look at if I do say so myself. Just make sure that he is everything you deserve. I can’t bare to see you receive any less.”

Eleise’s heart softened at her mother’s words. Her father had always been the more emotional one. Maybe seeing her little girl grow up and having the prospect of leaving the nest become more real was starting to leave her vulnerable. “I’ve never stopped until I obtained what I wanted before right? I won’t start now.”

“Good, girl.” 

She was scared to death that her daughter was breaking boundaries, but at the same time she couldn’t have been more proud.

-

A storm raged in his stomach. 

Thank God the door seemed to be taking care of his wardrobe so he didn’t have to worry about it. Today was the last day he had before he had to return to work and it was also the first day he’d be going out with Eleise. Her father would be accompanying them, but it was still a big step and it made his stomach flip flop as he walked toward her home. 

When the door opened a few moments later, he froze in place. “You look beautiful,” he breathed paying no mind at all to the fact that her father had opened the door and not her. She stood behind her father, hands entwined and resting gracefully against the front of her dress. “Sorry, Sir.” He held out his hand in apology and blushed at the elder man’s knowing look. “I’m looking forward to our outing today.”

“Eleise is as well. It is all she’s been talking about. Ready, My Dear?” Turning around, he extended his arm until Eleise looped her arm in his. 

As the three made their way via carriage to the Thames, Alfred questioned Spencer about his work and his former companions. In modern terms, his prospective girlfriend’s father was grilling him. He stumbled his way through the conversation while Eleise gazed out the window at the world passing them by. Despite the sun being high in the sky, there were stars in her eyes and the sun kissed her cheeks. “We’re here!” She said excitedly, not bothering to wait for her father to descend the carriage stairs to help her down. “It’s a beautiful day. This is going to be wonderful. Father…do you mind walking a few paces behind us?”

“Do you think that proper?” He asked.

“You would still be nearby, so I don’t see why not,” she said coyly. 

Alfred knew the “rules” and he abhorred them. He trusted his daughter. “I will walk behind you. I will still within earshot though. No improper talk now, young man.”

“Of c-course not,” Spencer stuttered, bowing slightly in Alfred’s direction. 

Spencer began in the direction of a little pastry shop he hoped to take her to. “I’ve been looking forward to this – our first outing together.”

“I have as well. Despite all I know about you, there is still so much to learn, Spencer. For instance, do you have friends back in America? What are they like?”

This could be a minefield. He had to be careful. “I do actually. I’m lucky to have quite a few that I consider my family as well as my friends.”

“I’m a little envious,” she confided in him. “Most of the people I got along well with were boys and as we grew up we couldn’t continue as friends because it’s thought so improper. Other women tend not to like me.”

“That is their own fault. It has nothing to do with you, darling.”

Her lips spread into a wide grin, the blush in her cheeks deepening before Spencer realized what he had said. “I hope you don’t mind to term of endearment. It felt natural to me.”

“Not at all. I rather enjoy it.”

Spencer hesitated another moment and tried to formulate how he’d explain his friends to her. “I have six very close friends: Aaron, David, Derek, Jennifer, Emily and Penelope.”

“Three women? Does America not have such rules?”

“We do,” he admitted, “But not as strong. Americans are a headstrong people – sometimes stubbornly so.”

“Aaron is strong and kind, though sometimes reserved in his kindness for the world has not been kind to him. David is the oldest of my friends; he has had an unconventional life and enjoys a good whiskey. Derek is like my brother, yet we’re different in so many ways. He is steadfastly loyal though. As for the ladies, I believe you’d get along well with all of them. Jennifer is a wonderful mother to a young boy named Henry – my godson. There is nothing she wouldn’t do for her family – blood or not, it makes no difference. Emily is tough as nails, somewhat of a trailblazer in her field. Like you actually. And Penelope…how do I describe her. She’s a human ray of sunshine.”

None of that was too telling right? None of that would betray that he was in fact from more than 100 years in the future. 

“They sound absolutely lovely. I would love to meet them one day.”

The thought both excited him and made his stomach sink. “I hope you can meet them one day too. If you do ever meet them, I should warn you that they can be a bit overwhelming.”

“How so?” She asked as they crossed the small bridge toward the pastry shop. 

“They will all ask questions at the same time. They will also want to make sure that you don’t hurt me. Though I don’t imagine you ever would.”

She wouldn’t dream of it. “Your friends sound like true friends. That’s what everyone should do for the ones they love. I have a few young ladies I converse with in the shops near by, but for the most part my friends are my family and my family are my friends. My father the greatest of them all.” Smiling, Alfred turned away pretending not to have heard what his daughter just said.

Stopping in front of the pastry shop a few moments later, Spencer turned toward Alfred and motioned toward the door. “Would you care for a pastry? Either of you? My treat.”

“Are you sure?” Eleise asked. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“You wouldn’t be. Either of you. I’m offering.”

“That would be lovely, Spencer,” Alfred replied, coming between the two courting partners. “You are a singular gentleman.”

-

Leaving Eleise yesterday evening had been the hardest thing he’d done in quite some time, but he was an officer of the law and duty called, so instead of stepping through door once more, he pulled on his work pants, button-up shirt and sweater vest and headed into work.

Seconds after the elevator doors opened, he saw Penelope spinning around his chair at his desk, coming to an abrupt halt when she got him in her sights. “Garcia? What are you doing here so early?”

“I can say the same for you, 187.”

“But seriously, you’re sitting at my desk at 7 am. What’s up?”

“Ummm…I may have did a thing. Because I was worried. But it was wrong and I figured I should confess…actually Morgan said I probably should.”

Spencer smirked as he placed his coffee down onto the Doctor Who coaster that sat next to his computer. “What did you do?”

“I checked out Eleise Griffiths.”

He froze in place. “And?”

“I didn’t find anything. Spencer, she doesn’t exist,” she replied, adding quickly before she lost her nerve. “Now if you don’t want to go into detail I will begrudgingly accept, but are you sure she is who she says she is?”

He didn’t blame her – not really. It was in Garcia’s nature to be a little to deep into the lives of those she loved; she meant nothing but the best. He didn’t particularly enjoy being on the receiving end of things, but that was just what you got with Penelope; it was one of the many reasons he loved her. “I’m positive. Things are complicated. Let’s put it this way – location is an issue – but I’m not worrying about it as much yet because we are still getting to know each other. Her name is Eleise Griffiths, and I promise that if things move forward with us, I will introduce her to all of you. Okay? Can you take that for now and trust me until I figure out what’s happening?”

“Of course,” she said relieved. “I really will this time. I just want you to be happy.” Popping up from his chair, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the side of his head. “And if she ever hurts you I’ll hack her mainframe. Now, I must be off to the batcave to get some papers together for Hotch.”

Spencer sat down at his desk when Garcia was finally out of sight. She’d ‘hack her mainframe.’ Technically that wasn’t possible.


	12. Chapter 12

Eight weeks had passed since they first met.

Up until now, being with Eleise – courting her - had been easy, but the moment he went back to work everything changed. Spencer couldn’t go back as often as he wanted to and when he did he kept having to make up excuses for why he couldn’t come around as often.

Telling her everything was going to have to happen sooner or later, but for one of the first times in his life, he had no idea how to approach this particular problem, so he didn’t. Not the best move. 

Although he knew that the withholding of the truth – the lies – were for her protection, they stilled weighed heavily on him. All he’d managed to come up with was that he was given orders from his employers in America to consult for police stations around Europe given his considerable expertise. It explained the time away (travel) and in essence it was what he did, it just didn’t take him days to travel and he worked alongside a team in America – in 2011. But no matter how close to the truth he was, it still wasn’t the whole truth and it felt so wrong to be lying to the woman he loved. 

His eyes drifted upward from the paperwork and toward the calendar – December 20th. Her shy yet genuine smile framed by soft brown tresses made him forget all about whatever truths might come between them. “Hey, loverboy,” Rossi said. “Things going well with Eleise?”

“Very,” Spencer replied, his lips scrunching up into that little smile that only happened when he was trying not to smile at all. “I’m actually going to be spending Christmas with her.”

“Mom not doing well?”

“No, not really.” His far off, dreamy smile faded away with that one simple question. “Her doctors say it’s better if I just call maybe mid-afternoon. That’s her best time lately.”

Rossi’s shoulders dropped. Spencer couldn’t seem to catch a break. “Well, at least you have her. Meeting her parents?”

“I’ve met them already,” he said happily.

“Woah! Big step already! Congrats, kid. You deserve it.”

Reluctantly, Rossi went to his office to start cranking away at his own stack of paperwork, leaving Spencer to dream about seeing her in just a few days.

-

“I think I’m going to retire to bed, Mother.”

“Really? It’s quite early, no?” Alfred called from the sitting room.

Giggling, Eleise stuck her head into the room where her father relaxed with one of his few yearly cigars. “A bit yes, but it is the feast of St. Thomas and I have a tradition I’d like to indulge in.”

Alfred smiled, knowing exactly to what Eleise was alluding. “Well I hope you dream deeply and I hope you dream of him, for your sake and mine.”

“Yours?”

“He would, or will, be good to you.”

“I think so too.” With a quick kiss to his cheek and her mother’s as well, Eleise grabbed the little step stool in the kitchen and bolted up the stairs to get ready for bed. Just a few simple steps and it was said a single woman would dream of her future husband – mostly an old wives’ tale, but it was still fun.

Placing the step stool down, she reached for her nightclothes and slipped them on as she floated around the room, arms outstretched, imagining how Spencer might dance. Would he be graceful? Clumsy? She seemed to think a bit of both.   
Once her day clothes had been folded and hung in their respective places, she grabbed the step stool and slide into her slippers before putting the little ladder near the side of the bed and climbing in. She might be a little embarrassed if anyone could see her in her childlike glee as she peeled her slippers off and threw them, toes first, toward her door. 

Maybe the excitement of Christmas around the corner had actually drained her, because despite the early hour, she found herself yawning. She pulled her pillow from the head of the bed to the foot and lay her head down, hoping that maybe this year, and old wives’ tale might just become reality.

-

Honk!

“Careful, love,” Spencer said, grabbing her hand and pulling her close.

She wasn’t supposed to be doing this, but the feel of his lips on hers was too much to pull away from. Glancing down, she saw the sun reflect off a ring, a simple band that looked like silver but even brighter. She was married. But where was she? And what was that noise?

“Ready to go?”

Nodding, she followed his lead, baffled by the streets that lay before her and the buildings that towered overhead. Was this what America was like? She’d imagined it to be different, but this was extraordinary. 

They walked passed building after building – some tall, some small – most bigger than she’d ever seen save for the church she’d been going to since she was a child. She tried to take in everything she was seeing, but with no ability to comprehend most of it, she paid attention to what she recognized. Spencer’s soft smile, the delicate waves in his hair – his clothes were a bit different, more than a bit, made of material she didn’t recognize, but it was her Spencer. 

Before she could get lost amidst the chaos of the apparently normal, he brought her to a shop of some kind. There were tables in front, but they weren’t like the kind of tables she’d seen. Were they made of metal? All of the couples held what looked like sweet treats. “What flavor do you want?”

“What?”

“Ice cream,” Spencer laughed. “What flavor?”

“Surprise me?” 

When he left, she glanced down, her own attire shocking her. With arms exposed and very flimsy shoes of some kind covering only the bottoms of her feet, she felt out of sorts – not bad, just different. The material of Spencer’s pants were the same as her own, a little tight but fairly comfortable. 

Moments later, Spencer returned with some kind of cone and very dark brown ice cream on top. “Dark chocolate. It’s a special today and I know how much you like it.”

Imitating those around her, she licked at the ice cream and sighed at its decadence. Rarely had she ever tasted something so delicious. “Thank you, love. Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“Wh-“

-

Eleise rolled over rather violently, pulled from her strange dream without the answers it put forth. 

What could that have been? She’d been married to Spencer – that much was obvious – but she didn’t recognize where she’d been and it felt…new. Maybe they’d get married and she’d move to America. The thought both thrilled and terrified her, considering she’d never been away from her parents for more than a work day at a time. 

“Time to get up, Eleise!” Alfred called from downstairs. “Spencer will be here soon to help decorate our tree!” They normally put it up later than others in the hopes that the scent of pine would linger in the house a bit into the coming year. 

She’d almost forgotten.

Quickly, she got changed and met her father downstairs with a kiss on the cheek. “How did you sleep, my dear? Any good dreams?”

“Yes, actually,” she started, hesitating when she realized she could barely comprehend it, no less explain it. “I did dream of Spencer. We were married, but I didn’t recognize where we were living. It felt very foreign to me. Like nothing I’ve ever heard of or read about.”

“Were you happy?”

A wave of peacefulness washed over her. She remembered the kiss they’d shared, the freeing feeling she’d had. It was a bit scary, but exciting all the same. “Yes, I was.”

“Then I think that’s what matters most.”

-

What was he supposed to get for the woman he loved at Christmastime? More importantly, what was he supposed to get her parents? Maybe he could ask her.

With an umbrella in hand, he made his way down the wet streets of London toward her home. It was the 22nd and he’d made sure to take off for five days, going back on the 27th, so he could have a nice little Christmas vacation before he had to get back to not seeing Eleise as much again. She’s asked if he would help decorate their Christmas tree; he couldn’t remember the last time he’d decorated a tree with someone, and to be invited into the family at such a special time made him feel like he and Eleise might be one step closer.

Alfred barely heard the knock at the door over the rumbling thunder outside, but he invited Spencer in out of the rain with a handshake and a place to lay his soaked umbrella. “I hope the rain wasn’t too unkind.”

“Not at all,” Spencer replied. “Sometimes I actually enjoy a good walk in the rain.”

Eleise and her father exchanged a glance. Ever since she was a child, Eleise had also been a fan of the rain. “Hello, Spencer.”

“Hello…” Alfred left for a moment, leaving them alone long enough for Spencer to greet her at least partially how he wanted. “Hello, Darling.” God, he wanted to kiss her so badly. He had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other. Thankfully, he was able to tell the devil to shut up, but it was getting more and more difficult. “I don’t mean to be forward, but I very much want to kiss you.”

Blushing, Eleise glanced at the floor, her mind racing toward her dream where she’d felt the warm touch of his lips. “I want you to kiss me, but-“ She cut herself off and nodded toward the room next door where her parents prepared some drinks. “Maybe we can sneak one in private.”

“I’d like that.”

Eleanor returned first with a tray of teacups in hand, handing one to Spencer before ushering them all into the sitting room slash office that had become the place for the small but full Christmas tree. “I love it!” Eleise said, clapping excitedly. “It will look even more beautiful once it’s decorated.”

For the next hour or so, Spencer, Eleise and her parents decked the three and a half foot tree with some glass ornaments, a few old-fashioned edible ones and some candles (Spencer had to hold in his desire to say what a fire hazard it was to have lit candles on a tree like this, but he stopped himself). Occasionally, the two budding lovers had the chance to exchange a whispered word or two. Spencer was in desperate need of an idea of something to buy for her parents and he’d learned that Eleanor was looking for a new mirror that reminded her of one her own mother used to use. When Alfred left the room again, he turned to her to ask about him. “What about your father? What would I be able to get for him?”

“He’s harder. He doesn’t want for much. He wants me to be happy, but I already am.”

Spencer smiled to himself, covering his widening grin with his hand. “I hope I have something to do with that.”

“Yes, you do. That and work.”

“How is work?”

“Tough, but I enjoy it and I’m starting to gain favor with the men in the department. They’re beginning to take me seriously.”

“As they should,” he replied. Silence hung in the air for a moment before he prodded again. “But I need something for your father? Do you have any ideas? Oh, what about an ink pen and journal? I see he has a typewriter, but I feel like your father would enjoy something like that.”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes, absolutely! He doesn’t tend to write in a journal because it’s a luxury we can’t afford. The typewriter was expensive enough but it was justified because he needs it for work. Spencer, he would love that.”

“Then it’s settled.” Before he could say anything else her parents were both within earshot again. “I think the tree looks wonderful, but I probably should get going so I can do a bit of Christmas shopping.”

Eleanor leaned into her husband and replied. “You’re not done yet?”

“No I’m a bit late this year. I’ve…I’ve had other things on my mind,” he said, his eyes falling on the beauty beside him. “I do have this for you before I leave though.” He pulled a cylindrical tube out of his coat pocket.

“A Christmas cracker!” Eleise squealed. “Is it too much to know if it’s for me?”

“Eleise!” Her mother chided.

Spencer snickered and handed it to her. “It is for you.”

“Thank you, Spencer.”

With a tip of his hat, he was out the door. These little things had also been called “kisses,” so at least she got one kind of kiss.

After helping her parents clean up, she retired to her room for the night. Breaking the delicate paper open, she found a small chocolate inside, which she popped into her mouth. It was dark chocolate – like the ice cream from her dream. And folded up inside was a small piece of paper that read ‘To our first Christmas together, may there be many more.’


	13. Chapter 13

How did he get so lucky? To have a team that made him realize that home was what you made it and a woman that he wanted to start a new home with? 

A few days earlier, he’d promised Eleise that he would come over Christmas night, so that she had some time with her family alone that morning; it gave him time to bring his gifts to his friends. Instead of staying in one place for long, he embodied Santa, complete with rosy cheeks but minus the jolly stomach, popping in and out with gifts in hand and wishing a Merry Christmas before he was onto the next house.

Rossi got a bottle of whiskey because what else was he supposed to get for the man that had everything and could basically buy whatever he wanted. Hotch and Jack got tickets to a local monster truck show because he figured it would be a fun day out and his boss deserved that much after all he’d been through in the past few years. For Emily, he signed her up for a Wine of the Month club for the next six months, which earned him a massive hug that nearly crushed his lungs and for Penelope he found a giant crocheted and stuffed unicorn, which was just begging to be hers.

For Morgan, he’d actually called his mother to ask what books Morgan used to read with his father – a lot of Dr. Seuss. It wasn’t really something he could use at the moment, but Spencer thought he’d like the gesture, and he did. Spencer had asked if he was about to cry and was replied to with a choked out ‘no.’ Last but not least, he and Garcia had teamed up for JJ’s gift, putting together a little scrapbook of pictures with her, Will and Henry, who got a ride on truck from his favorite uncle.

Before he knew it, it was Christmas night. He took a gamble and wrapped the gifts for Eleise and her parents in modern paper, hoping that the door might work its magic when he walked through. Much to his relief, that’s what happened and he whispered a soft thank you to the door before making his way to his love’s home.

Unlike at home, where the lights would peek out from apartment windows or just outside the city, where the homeowners went all out with garish lighting, blow up figures and music and lighting to top it all off (which held a charm all its own mind you), Victorian England boasted a more demure, understated Christmas. 

Soft street lamps illuminated the shops, many of which were still open or just closing so that the shop-owners could enjoy time with their own families. Wreaths hung sparingly between stores and on lamps, leaving the streets with an almost magical feeling, like a painting. All he needed now was a sprinkling of snow and the picture would be complete.

As he approached the door, he got his wish, a few flakes falling into his hair when he knocked. “Merry Christmas,” he breathed. 

Alfred greeted him with a hearty handshake and a joyous Merry Christmas, no doubt due to the amber alcohol swirling around his glass. Her mother curtsied slightly as she turned from the dinner she was still working on. “We celebrated a little longer than we usually would so dinner might be a bit late.”

“It will all be more than worth the wait, I’m sure.”

After placing the gifts under the tree, illuminated by a range of white and silver candles, he glanced outside to see the snow falling steadily. 

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Eleise whispered, the blush in her cheeks soft and sweet against the mixture of candlelight and moonlight. “Mother? Father? Do you mind if Spencer and I step outside to watch the snow?”

The question took Spencer off guard, as it was an unlikely thing for a woman to ask for a moment alone with the man courting her – taboo even. It was very frowned upon by society at large, but she knew her father trusted her. Eleanor glanced at her husband warily, but deferred to him. “Five minutes love. Try not to let any nosy neighbors see you,” he said, peering over the rim of his glasses.

“Of course, Father.”

Slipping on her soft grey overcoat, she tiptoed out the front door and into the alleyway with Spencer following closely behind. No one paid them any mind, far too busy with their own last-minute shopping and families to care what two young lovebirds might be doing.

Snow trickled down the skies, sparkling in the light of the streets lamps as it blanketed the floors at their feet. Though it was cold enough for the snow to stick, it was a comforting kind of cold, the kind that made a person hug their coats just a little bit closer and snuggle a little bit nearer to the ones they loved.

With a soft whisper, she asked, “How was your Christmas morning?”

“It was very enjoyable. I saw all my friends, brought my nephew a toy. Spread a little Christmas joy I suppose,” he said, mindlessly catching a snowflake on his tongue before indulging in his playful side and fully sticking his tongue out in the chill of the night, hoping to catch another one or two.

Eleise giggled and told Spencer about her morning. How she’d knitted scarves for her mother and father. How they’d saved their money for nearly a year to buy her a beautiful bag with hand-stitched roses of red and pink, wreaths of leaves surrounding them against a black background. It was stark and beautiful and had to have cost them a fair amount that they probably didn’t have to spare, but as her father had put it, “’the light in your eyes was worth it.”

Glancing around, Spencer felt his heartbeat grow more frantic against his ribcage. The streets were near silent now with only the whisper of snow falling to the ground as their background. “Eleise, m-“

“May what, Spencer?” She asked expectantly. A nervousness and a sparkle grew behind his eyes. She wanted him to voice the thoughts in her own head.

“I don’t want to put you in a position where you would be talked about by the townsfolk, but there is no one around and…I’ve been wanting to k-kiss you for quite some time.”

Smiling, she wrinkled her nose and stepped toward him, chin tipped up in anticipation. “Are you asking to kiss me?” All he could do was nod, his eyes trained on her lips as she whispered. “There’s no one around.”

Spencer bit his lip and slide his hand into Eleise’s hair, bringing her forehead against his. “I love you, Eleise.”

“I love you too, Sp-“

His lips found hers, a mix of heat and anticipation and the chill of snow. She gasped against his sudden movement, but then leaned into him and brought her arm around his waist. Never before had she experienced anything like this and she was almost certain it would never happen again. He was warmth and comfort and home in a way she’d never known possible. When he pulled away, she giggled in embarrassment. “I love you, Spencer.”

They stood against the side of the small, unassuming home, foreheads leaning against each other, smiles mirrored and feelings reciprocated. “We should probably go inside,” Spencer whispered. “They might get suspicious.”

“I think my father already knows,” Eleise laughed quietly.

“I think so too.” Lifting her hands to his face, he kissed them softly. “Some day soon maybe we can sneak in another kiss.”

“Sooner please.”

She followed him inside and did her best to wipe the smile from her face, but the knowing look in her father’s eyes told her she’d failed miserably on that account. The four sat down to dinner – an array of roasted goose and sweetbreads and potatoes and vegetables – all the things they’d never allow themselves during the year for fear of expense. For dessert, they ate Christmas cake, a light sponge cake with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. Along with the coffee, it was about the warmest Spencer had ever felt.

With their meals settling in their stomachs, Spencer excused himself from the table and picked up the gifts he’d purchased for Eleise and her parents. First and foremost, he handed a small package to Eleanor. “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Griffiths.”

“Thank you, Spencer. You did not need to buy me anything.” Although what she said was true, she peeled back the paper with a childlike joy, eyes softening and filling with tears. A small silver mirror, emblazoned with flowers around the edges peeked out from the paper. Years back, Alfred had indulged her with a brush from the set, but this was the accompanying mirror. “You shouldn’t have, I…thank you. Thank you very much.”

Alfred also thanked Spencer before opening, taking much less time as he ripped into the paper like a child actually would on Christmas morning. “Oh, this is wonderful Spencer! I type for work, but there’s something so much more personal about writing.”

“Absolutely, I prefer to write whenever again.” Turning toward Eleise, he slide the small package across the table, through the remnants of dishes and candles, hands returning quickly to his lap to fiddle with nervous energy. “I hope you like, Eleise.”

Eleise pushed a tendril of brown hair behind her ear before opening the paper to reveal a long velvet box. The material alone clued her in to what might be underneath. “Spencer,” she breathed, unable to speak when she opened the box. Inside, sat a light purple choker necklace with small diamonds of descending size spreading out from the middle, each one surrounded by sparkling purple jewels. “Spencer, this is beautiful. It’s too much, I-“

“Nothing is too much for the woman I love.”

Alfred stood up and smiled, releasing the necklace from its velvet cushion and placing it around his daughter’s neck. “You love my daughter?”

“I do, Sir.”

“As you should.”

A tear dropped from Eleise’s eye as her father ushered them all into the sitting room near the small fire he’d started earlier. “Now how about we read A Christmas Carol?” He asked. “It seems Spencer should be brought in on family tradition.”

“You read A Christmas Carol every Christmas by the fire?”

“Yes,” Eleanor said as she emerged from the shadows of the kitchen. “Ever since Eleise was a child.”

Spencer followed the family into the small room and they all huddled up near the fire, though Eleise sat next to her father. Probably for the best considering all he wanted to do was hug her close. “Who normally reads it?”

“We take turns,” Eleise replied. “Maybe you can start this year?” She looked toward her parents for approval and both nodded allowing her to extend the book toward him.

Blushing, he looked to the ground and took the book, explaining what was known as his eidetic memory. 

“You can recite any book you’ve ever read?” Eleanor asked in astonishment.

“I have to work to recall it, but yes. I can start if you’d like.”

Eleanor clapped excitedly, “Yes, please do. I’m going to follow along.” Eleise gathered to her side and did the same, following along, her finger gliding along the page as Spencer spoke. 

“Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it. And Scrooge’s name was good upon ‘Change for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a doornail.”

Though they were supposed to take turns, the night defaulted to Spencer reading – or reciting – most of it, as Eleise and her parents sat by in awe. Occasionally Eleise took over, and in those moments Spencer closed his eyes and listened to the feather-like whisper of her voice until she asked him to start again. 

He could fall asleep to the sound of her voice. He could listen to her every day for the rest of his natural life and never tire of it. Of that he was sure. But if she wanted him to read to her he would – in this moment he knew he’d do anything for her.

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons they teach!”

As the story finally concluded, the four sat in contented silence until Spencer brought up that he should leave for the night. He didn’t want to. He wanted to stay and hold her close. He wanted to fall asleep next to her. He wanted to wake up with her in his arms.

Someday he would – hopefully. So much still needed to be said. But tonight was not the not to think of that. Tonight was for thanking the universe, whatever deity existed, the moon and the stars for bringing her into his life.


	14. Chapter 14

He could picture everything as clear as day.

Eleise sitting in their home reading to him as he honed in to the melodic sound of her voice. He could see them sitting on the beach when the sun set – the pinks and purples and oranges and yellows fading into each other – fingers brushing against each other in the coarseness of the sand. One day she could walk down the aisle toward him – his own personal angel – and he could feel his eyes brim with tears at the thought. They would both work in law enforcement; she would be a force to behold and at the end of the day they would return to their children, hopefully three, and would tuck them in at night with stories of far off worlds that held a whole host of adventures.

Hopefully it wasn’t just the copious quantities of caffeine he’d indulged in this morning and the thudding of his heart was this realization – he wanted it all, but only with her.

How was he supposed to do this? 

Nearly 150 years and the Atlantic Ocean sat between them.

What if she couldn’t handle the reality of how they’d met? The thought of her leaving made his stomach drop.

“Hey, Boy Genius!” Penelope exclaimed, walking toward his desk with her own cup of coffee in hand. When she saw the look in his eyes, her smile turned upside down. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he lied. “It’s just…I told Eleise that I love her.”

Excitedly, she placed her coffee on the desk and started clapping. “Yes! Congratulations! Your deserve all of the love and more. When can we meet her? When are you getting married? Are you gonna have little genius babies? Who’ll be godmother? Your friendly neighborhood fairy godmother is absolutely up for the challenge, just fyi.”

Questions, questions, so many questions. Very rarely could Reid not handle a bunch of questions at once but this…this just made his brain short circuit. He couldn’t breathe. From the beginning, he knew he’d have to do this eventually, but he put it out of his head. How was he supposed to know that he’d fall head over heels in love in just three short months? “Why the long face?” Garcia prodded. “It’s a happy occasion, right?”

“Yes. I’ll just say that there would be a big change that would need to happen for us to have a future together.”

“Oh, do you want to talk about it? I have a good ear.”

He smiled. “I know you do, but not just yet okay.”

“Only if you’re sure. I’m always here, Boy Wonder.”

Nodding, he watched her walk away and toward her own office, oblivious to the gravity of his situation. Did he move to her and leave everything behind? Could he bring her here? Would she want to come? Would she even believe the insanity enough to see what lay so many years in the future?

He rarely took a day off or went home sick, but as the bile rose in his throat he reconsidered. 

-

“Officer Griffiths.”

Tennyson sat at his desk filing through and filling out paperwork like his life depended on it. For days, he’d drowned in it and he needed a distraction. On top of that he needed to review Eleise’s performance in the field over the past couple of months so he figured he could kill two birds with one stone. Knowing Spencer and himself shared more in common than not, he figured he might be able to get a little nosy and see how his relationship with Eleise was progressing. 

“Good morning, Chief Tennyson. You said you wanted to see me?” Even as a member of the force, she still had her fair share of paperwork to file for each case and it started to delve into mind-numbing boredom territory, so she welcomed the distraction. 

“Yes, come in. Take a seat.” 

Before he could extend his hand to hers, she’d already sat in the chair in front of his desk. They had a great working rapport, but she still had a bit of nervous energy in his presence. Besides Spencer, he was the only man to believe in her abilities from the start and she didn’t want to disappoint him. “I wanted to see how you’re handling things since your transition to Officer.”

Eleise hesitatingly fiddled with the bottom of her bobbie’s uniform shirt. “It has been difficult, but also rewarding.”

“How has it been difficult?”

“While certain officers, like Mr. Kipling, are starting to respect my work in the field, not everyone is as open. It’s frustrating to be fought at every turn because of how I was born.” She wanted to say something a little more forward, like why did what parts she had determine her ability in anything, but decided against it in her boss’s presence. “That being said, I absolutely love working on cases. I think as a woman I bring a viewpoint to the table that would not be there otherwise. When we solve a case, I feel like I’m making a difference. Deep down, I know this is what I’m meant to be doing, but I won’t deny the frustrations I’m encountering.”

Tennyson took in everything Eleise said, making mental notes to speak to the officers he’d noticed giving her a hard time. “I have individual meetings set up with other officers today – ones that will get a stern talking to about their behavior. I’m delighted that you’re enjoying the work however. If I may be forward, have you been enjoying your time with Dr. Reid?”

Blushing, she scratched at the skin on her hands – a tic she tended toward when she was nervous. “He’s wonderful, Chief. I…I always imagined that I would either end up alone or have to settle for someone to help take care of my family. He came out of nowhere, but…I love him.”

“By the way he looks at you, I would say he loves you too. Did you see him on Christmas Day?”

“Yes,” she replied, forgetting where she was. She began walking around the office in dream-like state as she spoke. “He came over to my parent’s house on Christmas night. It gave him a chance to see his friends beforehand and-“

Tennyson sucked in a breath, hoping that Eleise wouldn’t catch on to Spencer’s mistake, but when she spun around she caught his nervous look. Without another word between them, she stopped in her tracks. “His friends would have to be here then, right? Maybe I can meet them.”

He decided to go along with her train of thought. Spencer had slipped up. Easy to do when you’re in love and not thinking. “Possibly.”

“He’s visiting tonight. I’ll have to ask him why he didn’t introduce me to his friends. They’re all he talks about. Do you need anything else, Sir?” 

Thankfully, she didn’t seem too concerned with Spencer’s slip up. Although Tennyson had to admit that he felt bad that the young man would need to deal with the reality of his situation with Eleise much more quickly than he had anticipated. “No, I just wanted to make sure that you were handling your new job well and if there was anything I could do to help.”

“Thank you, Sir. I have a few more papers I need to fill out and then I will be going home for the day.”

“Have a pleasant evening, Miss Griffiths. Tell Dr. Reid I said hello.”

As soon as she closed the door, Tennyson wished he had a way to contact Spencer. In his own case, his love had been alone in the world, so leaving one for another was a shock, but not a difficult decision. Spencer and Eleise would undoubtedly face a much more difficult decision.

-

After work that day, Spencer quickly got dressed and walked through the door, ready to see Eleise, yet nervous that the day he would have to come clean was getting closer and closer.

Alfred welcomed him in and ushered him into the sitting area where Eleise was already waiting. “Mrs. Griffiths and myself are going to leave you to speak alone. We trust you.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Spencer’s stomach dropped. He hoped they would feel the same way 

“Thank you, Father.”

Small talk wasn’t Spencer’s strong suit, but it was even more difficult when he was sitting on a bombshell. “Oh, Spencer, I wanted to ask you. On Christmas you mentioned seeing your friends before coming here. Were they here? I wanted to meet them.”

He could feel the bile churn in his stomach.

It was now or never.

“Eleise…th-there’s something you need t-to know about me.”

Her face dropped in confusion. “What is it, Spencer?” Could he have been lying to her? 

“I’m not from America, at least not in year the 1893.”

“What?” She laughed. He was playing a joke on her probably. “Are from the future or something?”

“Actually yes. I’m from the year 2011.”


	15. Chapter 15

“What?” She asked in astonishment. She’d said as much in jest, but the seriousness in his eyes didn’t fade. “Spencer that’s not possible.”

In any other world, he would say the exact same thing, but it happened. And it’s what brought them together. He extended his hands hesitantly, reassuring her in any way that he was telling the truth, no matter how outlandish it sounded and how fast his heart was pounding right now. He’d been dreading this, that possibility that Eleise wouldn’t be able to handle what he said or even believe at all and he would lose her. He wanted to drag her to the door that brought them together and show her how real it was. “I know it sounds cra-“

“Sounds? Spencer it sounds more than crazy.”

“I know, but it’s the truth. I would never lie to you.”

Eleise felt the contents of her stomach catch in her throat and she fought to keep it at bay. “No, no – no you can’t be – that’s not possible.” Tears stung the corners of her eyes as she felt her world crash around her. Everything in his beautiful hazel eyes told her he was telling the truth, but everything around her told her differently. “You said on Christmas that you had been to see your friends and then you came here. I didn’t pay attention at the time, but…how could that be? They live-“

“In America,” he finished, using her stunned silence to his advantage. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. I found a story, in a leather bound journal at a library near my home, and when I went home to read it a door appeared as if from nowhere…”

Her brows furrowed in confusion, her lips parted in disbelief while her eyes continued to scan every line of his face for hints of the truth. She wanted to wake up from this dream, whatever this was, and have him have pulled an elaborate joke on her, but his gaze stayed earnest as he spoke.

“I didn’t know what it was, but it was right in the middle of my living room, so I walked through.”

“But you didn’t know what would happen!” She interrupted, her voice raising an octave higher than she’d intended. The last thing she needed right now was for her parents to return to talks of a man from the future. 

“No,” he breathed. “But something inside me told me that everything would be okay, and then I ended up here and found you.”

Bewilderment faded from her eyes. “The day you came to the station…you weren’t sent by your superiors in America to help with the Ripper case?”

“No. Where I’m from, Jack the Ripper is one of the most famous unsolved mysteries, so I went along with Chief Tennyson and Officer Kipling because I’m an academic. I do have numerous degrees and I do work for the government, so I thought the chance to work up close and personal on the case would be an opportunity I’d never have again. I threw caution to the wind and played along, and…”

“And what?”

“And if I hadn’t, I would never have met you, Eleise.”

Looking around, she realized that in her frenzy she’d stood up and had been pacing the wooden floors of her home. She returned to her seat next to the fire and stared up at him, all soft angles and a strong jaw, eyes pinched in worry that he’d lose what they had. “There’s a door?” Was she really entertaining this? Thoughts like this got someone put away and yet here she was desperate enough to hope that he was right – that something she never comprehended sat waiting in another world.

Spencer nodded, saying nothing else and praying that Eleise would at least hear him out before she wrote him off completely. That’s when it dawned on her. “I had a dream…on the Feast of St. Thomas. Do you know the tradition?”

“Yes,” he replied, knowing to what she was referring. “Why?”

“I remember wearing things that I’ve never seen before. Materials that have never touched my skin. I had trousers on Spencer! I saw… something that looked like a stagecoach, but it wasn’t…it moved faster and made very loud noises.”

His mouth instantly went dry. “You dreamt of cars. They work on something called engines, so they don’t need horses to move. What was the dream?”

“We went to eat cream ice,” she smiled, the color returning to her cheeks at the memory. “We were married.”

Stepping forward, Spencer bent down to meet her gaze. “Please give me a chance to show you the truth. Let us have the chance to make that dream come true.”  
“I don’t kn-“

“Please,” he asked again, “I meant what I said on Christmas. I love you, Eleise. I want to be able to give you the world, just…give me a chance to show you mine.”

She felt her dinner billowing up again. “How can we get there without my parents knowing? Women aren’t supposed to leave the house with a man with which they’re courting.”

“Wait until dark and come with me. You can leave out your window and I’ll be there to catch you. I can show you and have you back here before anyone knows you’re gone,” Spencer said as his heart rate slowed to near normal again. He wasn’t in the clear just yet, but at least she was willing to trust him.

Eleise reached out and grabbed his hands in her own. “Okay, I will give you a chance to show me what you mean, because I still can’t…”

“I know,” he replied, standing up quickly and placing a kiss on her forehead. “I will see you tonight, okay?”

Nodding, she sat in frozen silence, watching as his frame disappeared behind the closing door.

-

Miles apart, Spencer and Eleise waited impatiently for time to pass and the sun to dip below the horizon. After Spencer left earlier, she’d said very little to either of her parents, putting on a smile and going about her housework pretending like she didn’t have a care in the world. “I think I’m going to go to bed, Mother.”

“Goodnight, dear,” she replied, barely looking up the cross-stitch she was working on. 

From the living area, she heard her father say goodnight as well and hoped they would both go to bed soon so she there would be less of a chance of her getting caught leaving. It felt wrong to be going against her parents like this, but she had to know…she had to know who Spencer really was. Everything she’d learned so far told her that he was the man she wanted to marry, but she had to be sure.

Nearly two hours later, her parents had retired to bed and though her eyes became heavy with sleep, she forced herself to stare out the window until Spencer arrived. She readied herself to leave at a moment’s notice, her day dress hung up for the night and a smaller, lighter one adorning her body. She would be a bit cold, but it was all she had that might make her less noticeable to prying eyes. 

Despite the uniqueness of her situation, she felt a calm wash over her when Spencer arrived. “I’ll catch you,” he whispered. The window was only a few feet off the ground, but she still shivered, whether due to nerves or the cold she wasn’t sure. As she climbed out of the window, she slipped back thinking she was going to hit the ground but instead felt Spencer’s warm embrace. “Eleise, you’re going to catch a cold.” She could see both their breaths lingering in the air. 

Without a thought, Spencer slipped off his coat and wrapped it around Eleise’s shivering shoulders. “We’re going to go in the alleys to keep us out of sight.”

She followed him for nearly ten minutes before they arrived at an alleyway and he stopped. “Where is it?” She asked, feeling the lingering nausea coming back in full force. “Why are we stopping here?”

“It should be here.” He stared desperately at the wall willing it to appear before turning toward Eleise and reaching in the pocket of the coat he’d lent her. “Please,” he whispered into its pages, “I need to show her. This can’t be the end for us.”

Whether a delayed reaction or an answer to his prayers, the door materialized on the wall of the building. Eleise gasped and clapped her hand to her mouth. “You were-?”

“Yes,” he breathed, his hand extended toward hers. “Will you let me show you?” This was crazy, but she couldn’t deny the look in his eyes.

Placing her hand in his, she came to stand in front of him and opened the door herself, watching as a whole new world showed itself to her – the likes of which she’d never seen before.


	16. Chapter 16

“Spencer, what is happening?” Eleise asked, staring ahead into a living area that looked nothing like what she’d come to know in her two and a half decades of existence. The room waved her in, its lights inviting but dim, shelves upon shelves of books she’d never seen before begging to be read. If Spencer could be immortalized in a room, this was it.

Without waiting for an answer, she stepped forward and into the space as Spencer closed the door behind her. Even now, in her utter confusion, there was a sparkle in her eyes that lit up her entire face, specks of gold in her eyes that he’d never noticed before glinting in the shallow lights of his apartment. “Eleise, this is where I live.”

“It can’t be,” she said, shaking her head. Tears blanketed her eyes, her heart pounding erratically when she tried to take in the myriad of new things surrounding her. “You said you were from the future, but…” She hadn’t expected it to be true. Something caught her eye out on the street and before Spencer could say another word, he realized what it was – a car. “I saw something like that in my dream.”

“That’s my neighbor’s car,” he replied softly. There was a hollow feeling in his chest, not spreading and yet not retreating. He had to tread carefully, so he kept his tone of voice as level as he felt he could, but inside every nerve was on fire.

Just when he thought she might calm down, she turned her attention from the car down to herself. Like himself when he walked through the door, Eleise’s clothes had changed into a casual evening dress much different from the one she’d put on before she leapt into his arms from her bedroom window. “Spencer, what am I wearing?” Scanning the immediate area, she tried to locate something that could cover herself. Her legs were showing! Her ankles! Her wrists!

She looked beautiful. No matter when or where, she was the picture of perfection, but he grabbed a blanket from his couch and wrapped it around her for her comfort. “When I come to see you, I dress like this,” he said, gesturing to his casual black pants, black blazer and purple button-up. “But when I walk through the door it makes me look like I belong in England in your time. I don’t know. It just happens. My assumption is that it’s done the same for you.” Light purple lace covered her collarbone and shoulders, a satin bodice coming to a sweetheart neckline to meet it. The skirt billowed past her knees, but it was still short for a woman from her time.

Confused, she peeked down under the lace to something that was covering her chest. Nowhere near as tight as the corsets she’d been used to wearing. “What is this?” 

“I assume you mean your bra,” he said with a smile. “No corsets here. Women wear those.”

“And their ankles and legs can be out in public?”

Spencer nodded, continuing in the hopes that their relationship could go on – not as normal – but continue at the least. “And basically anything else they want.”

The young woman stared open-mouthed in the middle of Spencer’s apartment with his coat from earlier and the blanket still delicately draped over her shoulders. “You said it was 2011?”

He gestured toward his desk at the other end of the room. Knick knacks of all kinds adorned the hard wood, courtesy of Penelope of course, with some paperwork thrown in for good measure, because it was a day in the life of a BAU member if someone didn’t take paperwork home with them. “That calendar. It shows today’s date.”

Sure enough, at the top read four numbers she never thought she’d see together. 2011. “How is this possible?” She asked.

“I don’t know. For once in my life I didn’t question it. And it led me to you.”

She softened her furrowed brow and walked up to kiss him, but hesitated. “No one can see us?”

“Not anyone from your time.”

Free from judgment, she strode in Spencer’s embrace and leaned her head against his chest. They swayed together among the musty old couch, hardwood desk and shelves upon shelves of books. “Spencer, what do we do?” She whispered, her words almost inaudible among the pounding of his blood in his ears.

“What do you want?”

“You.”

He breathed a sigh of relief and clasped the sides of her face, his thumbs fluttering through the light brown tresses she had tucked behind her ears. “Do you want to make this work?”

“Yes, but how? Does this door ever close forever? Do we stay here or there? What about my parents? What about your mother and your friends? How do we do this?”

Spencer was at a loss. For three decades, he’d had the answers or he’d known how to find them, but now he had no clue. There was no plausible explanation for what was happening to them and he had no idea how to find the answers. “I don’t know, but we need to get you home before anyone finds out.”

“What time is it?”

Nearly one in the morning. Occasionally, her father would get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet and if he happened to get up and notice her missing, she would likely never be allowed to see Spencer again. “Okay, yes, but are we going to tell people about this? I feel like I have to tell my parents…eventually.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” he replied. Because neither of them knew the answers, they couldn’t know when the door would close. It was all too much to comprehend just now, so he clasped her hand and walked back through the door. Spencer had become used to his clothes changing upon entry. However, seeing Eleise marvel at the modern evening dress changing back into what she was wearing earlier and look back at the door longingly made him realize that they might be able to work this out after all. If they both wanted each other, a life together, they could navigate the insanity that stood between them.

By the time they got back to Eleise’s home it was just after 1 in the morning. With Spencer’s help, she climbed back in through her window. “We’ll figure this out,” Spencer said reassuringly.

“I know,” she said, her mind far off in another world. “Will you take me back another day? To meet your friends, maybe? There is so much more I want to see.”

Spencer smiled at her eagerness and curiosity. “Of course, love. But let’s work on your parents first and then we can worry about my friends.”

Nodding, Eleise watched as Spencer spun on his heels to head back. “Spencer,” she called, her voice a harsh whisper. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Eleise. More than I ever thought possible.”

When he was finally out of her sight, she slipped into her night clothes and allowed sleep to bring her into a blissful dream of another world – a world that boasted a newness she could only begin to imagine.

—– 

The following day when Eleise woke, she readied for work in a hurry and slipped out the door with a quick hello and good morning to her mother and father. As she slipped into the horse-drawn carriage, she imagined the…car that Spencer had shown her and imagined being in it. How did it even work? She would have to ask him. Maybe next time he could take her in one, show her the world that had produced a man like him.

Unfortunately, there weren’t many cases at work and the ones that were ongoing had already been assigned, leaving her to do paperwork. Since becoming an officer, Kipling had started to show her a bit more respect, but the same couldn’t be said for the other officers, many of who still tried to pawn off their paperwork on her.

She stared at the stack of papers in front of her for quite some time, unable to focus on the mundane when such wonders were just within her grasp. Women seemed freer there – at least from what she’d gathered from a few moments in their clothing – and although she had made strides as a woman here, she couldn’t help but wonder what more she could achieve in Spencer’s world.

An officer whose name she never bothered to remember considering he couldn’t bother to remember hers passed her desk and left some papers on it. Discreet he was not. “Excuse me, Sir? I’m no longer a secretary. I have my own paperwork to attend to.”

“You’re a woman,” he sniped. “You will never be an Officer like us.”

“Chief Tennyson says otherwise,” she replied confidently. “Because I already am.”

Before the male officer could say another word, Tennyson approached Eleise’s desk, having heard the exchange. “Miss Griffiths is a fantastic asset to the Yard,” he said, lifting the papers and returning them to him. “You would do well to keep your eyes open and learn from her. The reason she isn’t assigned to a case at the moment is because she has already closed her case. Get back to work, please.”

With a huff, the officer left Eleise and the Chief alone. “Thank you, Sir. I do appreciate your confidence in me.”

“It is earned, Miss. Griffiths. I actually came by to see if you would come to my office.”

“Of course.”

Behind closed doors, Chief Tennyson proved that he was without a doubt the most observant man she’d ever met save for Spencer. “I noticed you seem a little distracted today. Is everything okay?”

“Why do you believe I’m distracted, Sir?”

He motioned from his office to her desk. There was an unobstructed view of her desk from where he sat. “I saw that you working on that particular piece of paperwork for nearly 20 minutes. It normally takes you five.”

“I am a bit distracted,” she admitted, not wanting to elaborate for fear of sounding like a madwoman in front of her boss. “But all is well. It’s nothing bad, just a bit befuddling.”

Tennyson knew the look in her eyes, because they reflected those of the woman he had waiting at home for him. “Spencer told you, didn’t he?”

Eleise’s eyes went wide. “You…you know about Spencer?” She still wasn’t sure that he truly understood, so she hesitated. “Where…where he came from?”

“Yes, Miss Griffiths. I know because my love story started much the same way yours has.”

Although she had a million and one questions, she felt immediate relief knowing that someone else besides her and Spencer and experienced the same thing. “Are you…or she…?”

“She’s the one who’s not from our time,” he laughed. “When I met her, it was in the 1600s.”

“Is that why no one has met her yet? She’s still adjusting to things here?”

“Yes, Alana has had much to adjust to, no matter how desperately she wanted to leave the life she’d been living. I hope to introduce her to my colleagues soon. Have you seen much of Spencer’s time? 2011 is it?”

“Just where he lived. It was very warm and inviting. They have things called cars,” she said excitedly, leaning her hands against his desk and she bent towards him. “They’re like our horse-drawn carriages except they can move by themselves!”

“Well, dash my wig!”

The two shared a laugh, thankful to have someone else that understood the uniqueness of their situations. “Chief Tennyson, may I ask you a question about what happened to you? Did you travel back and forth? Can you still?”

“We did for a while,” he admitted. “It was a way to minimize the shock of going from one place to the other so quickly, but after we were married, she never tried to go back –no one she had left behind - so I don’t know if we’re capable or not.”

As of yet, Eleise and Spencer were not engaged, but if they did decide to marry, they would likely have to make a choice and close the door to one of their worlds forever.


	17. Chapter 17

When he walked back through the door that night and watched it disappear as it always did, Spencer breathed a sigh of relief. His biggest fear from the moment he’d thrown caution to the wind was that everything would eventually come back to bite him and he’d lose Eleise. For the first time in forever, he was truly happy, in every aspect of his life, and giving that up would hurt more than all the pain he’d ever been through.

There still were no guarantees, but at least Eleise had allowed him to explain. He’d never seen her look so frightened before, not even in front of Joseph Barnet, but even through the fear and then uncertainty, she wanted him – they wanted each other.

Maybe that would be enough to make this work.

In the ensuing couple of weeks, Spencer and the team got called away twice, leaving absolutely no time for the two to see each other until this point. As he walked into the station, he reintroduced himself to Officer Kipling, who then pointed him toward Tennyson’s office, where Eleise was waiting for him. “Hello, dear,” she smiled.

“I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too.”

“It’s a good thing I already know about you two or this might be awkward,” Tennyson laughed.

Both Spencer and Eleise blushed, sitting down beside each other across from Tennyson’s desk. All three fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence, before the Chief decided to just say what all of them were thinking but didn’t want to say. “Eleise has seen it.”

Nodding, Spencer spoke. “Yes, about a fortnight ago.”

“Eleise and I spoke about it soon after,” Tennyson confided. “She told me about…cars? They sound fascinating.”

“When you think about how it actually works, they really are a feat of engineering.” Spencer chuckled, another wave of tension leaving his body. They weren’t out of the woods by a long shot. But they had someone who knew and had been in the same situation. A one in a billion chance. Probably more considering a time traveling door was supposed to be impossible. Spencer could calculate the exact number, but math seemed so frivolous at the moment. “Sir, do you know how we’re supposed to do this? Navigate this? How did you and your wife do this?”

Spencer wanted Tennyson to have the answers – be the all-knowing person that he couldn’t be right now – but deep down he knew Tennyson’s situation, though similar, had been unique from theirs.

“From what I know of Eleise’s home life, it’s different from Alana’s. Alana has told me all about her childhood, and she never stayed in one place – a point of contention with her parents. Between her sense of wonder and her lack of a familial relationship, she found it easy to come here and because she’s never missed her home, neither of us has tried to open the door again. We don’t know if it’s possible.”

Eleise and her father were as close as Spencer and his mother – leaving them would be…she couldn’t…could she? Feeling the bile rise in her throat, she choked it back and spat out. “Could you try? See if you could go back?” She needed to know if one of them made a decision whether or not it would be forever. 

Spencer had been thinking the same. Without a doubt, Eleise was the love of his life and he never wanted anyone else, but leaving his mother… or the family he’d chosen…he wasn’t sure he could stomach it.

“I can try,” he replied, not sounding all that sure of himself. “I could ask Alana to try herself. See if we can give some piece of mind to friends in need, but if it did work for us that doesn’t mean it would for you or-“

“Or vice versa,” Spencer sighed.

“Despite the fact that it happened to me first, I don’t understand what happened to me, not fully.”

Spencer felt his heartbeat rattle in his ears, the panic starting to set in again. He couldn’t lose this – lose her, but if neither of them could leave their homes, what were they supposed to do? 

Just as he was going to try and decipher things out loud despite the unfathomable situation, Eleise interrupted his train of thought. “How did Spencer even come to have that journal?”

“I don’t know exactly,” Tennyson replied. “I assume it was passed down in my family for a generation or two before it found its way to America. Where did you find it?”

“In what we call the Library of Congress,” Spencer explained, finally feeling a bit like himself again as he explained what the institution was. “It was hidden behind a book I looked into that day. That particular library you’re not supposed to take anything out of because of all the books of historical significance that are housed there, but the journal didn’t belong to the library so I snuck it out. As soon as I started reading, the door appeared.”

“And you did as I did and followed your sense of wonder.”

“I did,” Spencer smiled, “and it led me to her.”

Eleise stifled the desire to leap across the chair and kiss him, smiling instead as Spencer’s hand reached across the small expanse between them, his fingers brushing hers. No judgment passed behind her boss’s crystalline blue eyes. “I’ll ask Alana about the door,” Tennyson said softly. “The two of you are made for each other. I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

-

During many of their dates, Spencer explained what he did with the BAU and why he was gone for indeterminate periods of time. She’d nearly fainted when he told her about the jet, considering the plane wasn’t to be invented for more than 20 years. Continuing to balance off time with his team was also a challenge. Although they understood whenever he said he wanted to go see Eleise – they’d never seen a man more in love – but he did feel guilty blowing them off all the time, so tonight he was headed to dinner with them.

Undoubtedly, he would be bombarded with questions about Eleise and unlike before he was excited to talk about her. She made him happier than he ever thought he could be or deserved. But he still wasn’t ready to tell them all she was a time-traveler from the past. Probably wouldn’t be the best topic for dinner conversation. 

Slipping his blazer over his shoulders, he headed down the stairs of his apartment complex and wondered how he was going to tell his friends about Eleise when the time came. If he could get them to follow him to the door, they could see it for themselves, but he’d have to risk sounding absolutely insane first. Maybe he’d just invite them all over and pray the door showed up on command.

Either way it didn’t matter, not yet. The last time he and Eleise had been together they’d discussed telling her parents first and then worrying about his friends. “One absurd problem at a time,” she’d said. 

At dinner, just as he’d thought, he got a million and one questions about Eleise. He regaled them with stories of her prowess in the field and gushed over how beautiful he found her. He told them all about the melody of her laughter and how he could listen to it all day every day and never get tired of it. He went on and on and on until he saw Morgan smirking at the other end of the table. “What?” Spencer asked.

He spoke to the whole table. “Anyone ever seen Pretty Boy so in love?”

“Never,” JJ said, beaming, the entire team agreeing with nodding heads and soft smiles. “Happiness looks good on you, Spence.”

“Thanks. I, uh, I actually have been thinking about asking her to marry me.” It was the first time he said it out loud even though something in his soul told him he’d known the moment they’d met.

He should’ve known better than to say that with Penelope sitting right next to him. She lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down to kiss his mop of hair. “Oh my God, our little Reid is going to get married and have lots of little geniuses and be happy forever and ever. Can I help plan the wedding? When are we going to meet her already?”

Spencer stifled a snort and faced her. “Soon, I promise. She’s shy. I actually could use some help picking out an engagement ring, if you want to help me with that.”

“Yes!”

Somehow at the end of dinner, they’d made plans for a group outing to help Spencer pick out an engagement ring. As Eleise had come to be, the team was the family he chose. Though the moment drenched them all in happiness, a knot curled in the pit of his stomach. His only hope was that he wouldn’t lose her – or them.  
-

“Are you sure?”

Nodding, Eleise whispered, “Yes. I think I can convince them to at least come to the door like I did. I need my parents to know Spencer, especially if I won’t ever be able to see them again…”

“I know.” He stroked the side of her cheek with his thumb, wishing their courting could be just a touch easier on her. He loved her more than words could adequately describe and she didn’t deserve the confusion this whole situation brought her. “Do you want to tell them or should I?”

“I will. I have a feeling if you said it my father would immediately throw you out for being mad! Let me do the talking.”

“My girl has always loved talking.”

Alfred appeared as if from nowhere with a joking smile painted on his face, so Eleise quickly let go of Spencer’s hand, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “That I do, Father. Do you mind calling Mother? I have something I need to tell you.”

When her father turned away, she could feel her heartbeat thundering inside her chest. She’d seen what he’d claimed and although she was confused, she wanted Spencer for the rest of her life, but she didn’t want to choose between the parents that bore her and the man she loved.

Eleise’s mother and father entered the sitting room and took seats across from them, smiling wide, probably under the assumption that Spencer had proposed. “What do you need to tell us?” Eleanor asked.

“This is arduous to explain, but I need you to listen to what I have to say no matter how difficult it is to comprehend…”

Her parents’ faces dropped, clearly no longer under the same impression, but they sat back in resigned silence for the sake of their daughter.

“Spencer is from America, but he’s from a different time in America.”

“What?” Eleanor’s eyes darted between her daughter and her suitor. “Eleise, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“He’s from a different year. And he’s proven it to me. I’ve seen it.”

“That’s insane, Eleise!” Alfred exclaimed. For the first time since they’d met, Alfred didn’t meet Spencer’s gaze with admiration. It took everything in him not to take his daughter’s hand and ensure she never met with Spencer again, but the pleading look in his little girl’s eyes held him back. He addressed Eleise again, “What year does he claim it is?”

“2011,” she whispered. She knew it sounded insane. “I’ve seen it, Father.”

In her horror and confusion, Eleanor began pacing the floors of the sitting room. Eleise flew to her side and grasped her mother’s hands in hers before wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Mother, Father, if you follow us. We can show you.”

They could see how earnest she was, but this was impossible! 

Spencer had to risk saying something. “Sir, Madam, I promise you, we can show you we’re I’m from. Right now. Please, I’m begging you to give me a chance. I know it sounds impossible, but it happened and I’m in love with your daughter. I can’t lose her.”

“This is madness,” Eleanor replied. “But I will go on one condition.” 

“Anything.” He would do whatever she asked if it meant he wouldn’t lose Eleise.

“If you show me this proof and I deem it unworthy, I will have you committed.”

“Agreed,” he said immediately. “I promise you both. I am not lying.”

While Eleise’s mother and father slipped on coats, Eleise flocked to their sides. More than once they tried to convince her to run from Spencer and never look back, but she could not. 

It took less than 15 minutes to arrive in the alley they’d been in a few short weeks ago. Spencer pulled out the journal and whispered the same prayer he did when he’d brought Eleise here and again, the door appeared from nowhere. “See?” Eleise said. “Walk through with us.”

Unlike before, Eleise jumped through with Spencer behind her. “Nothing will happen, Mother. Father, just have faith in me.”


	18. Chapter 18

Hesitantly, Alfred grabbed Eleanor’s hand and walked them through the door in the wall. “I don’t understand,” he said. “How could this be possible?”

“I don’t know, Sir.” 

Alfred stood frozen in place, eyeing Spencer with a mix of relief and disbelief. Glancing down, he caught sight of his outfit – a pair of tan work pants and a blue button down shirt. “What am I wearing? What are you wearing?” He asked, taking in his wife’s calf-length blue dress, complete with matching heels. “Eleise, what are you wearing?” 

His eyes went wide with horror. For a family man from Victorian England it was probably scarring to see his only little girl in a knee-length, strapless pink dress.

“The dress code here is much more relaxed,” Spencer chuckled half-heartedly, hoping her parents wouldn’t freak out and turn tail back to their home. 

Eleanor started patting her new clothes, going into a panic about being so exposed in front of other people. The only person who’d ever seen her so vulnerable was her husband. Without a word, Spencer ran to his room and grabbed blanket, offering it to his hopeful future mother-in-law. “Thank you,” she said meekly. “This….this is what happens to you?”

Before anyone could start examining modern clothing to closely, Spencer flashed the small family a weak smile and motioned toward his small yet cozy apartment. “This is where I live.”

With pensive hazel eyes, Spencer followed Eleise’s parents around the room, watching as they ran their hands over pieces of furniture they didn’t recognize, materials they’d never felt before and sights they’d never imagined in their wildest dreams. “Is this the kitchen?” Eleanor asked.

“Yes.” He showed off his stove and refrigerator and microwave all to the amazement of Eleise’s mother. While the stove had been around in various incarnations since 1742, the microwave didn’t come into being until the mid-1940s. “This is a microwave. It’s an electric version of the oven that cooks food by exposing it to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range. This induces polar molecules in the food to rotate and produce thermal energy in a process known as dielectric heating.” Alfred’s and Eleanor’s eyes widened at the onslaught of information, but Eleise just stood near the couch, her smile soft as she shuffled her foot against the floor. In their many private conversations, he’d let this side of himself out, the rambling one that never knew when to shut up. But she loved him all the more for it. 

“What about those…cars?” Alfred asked suddenly. “Do you have one? Does everyone have one here?”

“Not everyone. But many people do and I have an old run-down one because I don’t use it that often. I use the train to get to work more often than not. But I can take you for a ride if you’d like.”

Looking back toward his wife, Alfred waited for her input before nodding. He wanted to see what things were like here, but not if his wife wasn’t comfortable with it. “I’m…curious,” she said uncertainly. 

Spencer grabbed his keys and told them all to let him know if things were getting too overwhelming. So much was going to be new to them and at times it even overwhelmed him. He couldn’t even imagine what would be going through their minds. 

At the bottom of the stairs, Spencer pulled out his keys and unlocked it with the keypad. “It made a noise.” Spencer chuckled under his breath at Alfred’s matter-of-factness.

“That’s because I unlocked it using this.” He was going to attempt explaining how a keypad worked, but it was excess information that they really didn’t need and would probably confuse them so he decided against it. “There’s also a horn in the middle of the wheel,” he said as opened the doors for them all to get in. “If someone is rude to me on the road, I can use it to get their attention.”

“Why would you want to do that?” Eleise asked.

Spencer stared ahead blankly. “Actually, I don’t know. To yell at them? Make them mad? We’re…we’re a little weird here honestly.”

He pulled away from the curb with a satisfied smile. Obviously, he had no idea how things were going to go from here on out, but at least he’d gotten her parents to venture through the door. If he could only prove to them that all he wanted for Eleise was happiness, no matter where that might lie, then hopefully he could have their blessing. 

Silence overtook the small, beat-down vehicle as the small Victorian family took in the wonder around them. Other cars passed them by. Women walked down the street in pants, trousers to them, which was such a rare occurrence at home. Stoplights directed traffic. Mobile phones were abundant. Both men and women walked home from work. Though Eleise was working in her time, she was a rarity – in every sense of the word, Spencer thought, smiling to himself. 

From the back seat, Spencer heard a grumble. “Hungry? We can go out to eat.”

“Please Mother? Father? I want you to see Spencer’s world.”

“Won’t people notice us? In an unfavorable way?” Alfred asked.

People would probably obsess of their accents, but that was about it. In 2011, a lot of people seemed to be too into their own thing to pay much attention to anyone else outside their circle. “Probably not. They will like your accent though.”

“We don’t have an accent,” he replied. “You do.” The corner of his lip ticked upward. Eleise couldn’t be happier that they were teasing each other. “But yes, we can have something to eat.”

In Washington DC, they could grab anything from pizza to sushi to Mexican food and anything and everything in between, but culture shock still sat at the forefront of Spencer’s mind, so he decided on a diner-type setting.

As they approached the diner, a waitress eyed them and grabbed some menus. “Table for four?”

They were seated and given water while they looked over the menu. Spencer had to explain almost every item and what foods were in it. Eleise decided on a Belgian waffle with blueberries on top.

“What are these numbers by the descriptions of the food?” Her mother asked. 

Spencer ran his fingers over both sets of numbers. “The first number is how many calories are in the food. People pay attention to those numbers if they don’t want to gain weight or if they want to lose it. The second number is the price in American dollars.”

“This is too much Spencer,” Alfred interrupted. “We can’t have you spending this kind of money on us!”

“This isn’t an expensive restaurant. I promise.”

With a couple more explanations, Eleanor decided on a pot roast and mashed potatoes dish that came with roasted vegetables and Alfred picked a bacon cheeseburger. Beef and pork were more of a luxury to them and if Spencer said it wasn’t expensive and he would pay then Alfred was going to indulge.

They placed their orders and quietly asked Spencer about all the goings on around them. What kinds of work could women do? How had electricity come so far? What were relationships like here? 

Spencer explained it all with a childlike exuberance that made Eleise happy. Seeing him so excited made her heart swell. When the food came to the table, Eleanor leaned toward him and whispered. “Are you sure this isn’t too much?”

“I promise, Mrs. Griffiths. I want you to enjoy yourselves.”

Eleise and her mother started out delicately cutting their food and taking small bites. “This is delicious,” Eleise giggled. “I want waffles all the time.”

“I can’t tell if this is more delicious because I’ve never tried it or because I didn’t have to cook it.” Eleanor reveled in the dish she had before her, eyes closing with each bite, taking it all in. 

Alfred had to get used to the idea of eating with his hands, but the moment he tried his burger, he started inhaling it with a frenzy Spencer hadn’t seen from him before and the four fell into sated silence. Once they were done, Spencer paid the bill and they made their way back to his apartment. Again, they rode in silence, too stunned by their surroundings and too full with food to do anything else. 

When Spencer opened the door to his apartment, the traveling door reappeared, as if it knew that the family of three intended to return home for the time being. “Well,” Alfred started as he looked between the door and the man his daughter loved, “I thought you were insane, but-“

“I know,” he replied softly. “Thank you for giving me a chance. I only want what is best for Eleise. Her happiness – regardless of what that means.”

Not used to talking out of turn, Eleanor interrupted as Alfred was about to speak again. “Just…no matter what happens, be good to her.”

“I will. I promise.” Four words said in earnest.

With a nod from Eleanor and a handshake from Alfred, Spencer bid them goodbye as they walked through the door. Eleise followed closely, but stopped in her tracks when Spencer called to her. 

“I love you, Eleise.”

Her parents were within earshot, but she didn’t pay it any mind. “I love you, too, Spencer.”

The door closed behind her and disappeared from sight, leaving Spencer standing alone in the middle of his living room with only one thought in mind. Eleise was his forever.

-

In the office the next day, he confided in his team that he was officially planning on proposing and he needed a ring, so they made plans for the weekend to go out and look for the picture perfect engagement ring for the woman Spencer loved more than life itself.

As they walked into the first jewelry store, Penelope walked in front of them, backwards, yet somehow steering clear of every obstacle that sat out of her sight. “Okay, this needs to be the perfect ring and since we haven’t met her yet,” she chided, “Tell us about her. Do you want a diamond? Or another stone?”

“I’m not sure. Either a diamond or something with pearls.”

“What about her personality?” Hotch asked. “Outgoing? More reserved?”

“Definitely more reserved.”

“Reserved, traditional,” Penelope said, turning around to focus her attention on the perfect place to start searching. “What kind of traditional? Like modern traditional, maybe a simple ring with something about it that stands out, or old traditional, like Victorian England traditional.”

“Victorian England traditional. Definitely.”

“She sounds perfect for you,” Morgan said, clapping his best friend on the back.

“She is.”

Honing in on a particular spot, Penelope guided them toward the corner of the store where an employee asked how she could help. Ever the love expert, Garcia took over, telling the woman exactly what Spencer was looking for. After figuring out how much he was willing to spend, she pulled out a number of different rings but none of them spoke to him. Everyone else seemed to like one of them for one reason or another, but they all seemed to fancy for Eleise. He wanted something simple yet stunning. “You’re not feeling any of these are you Pretty Boy?” Morgan asked.

“No.” Spencer stared blankly at the rings before him. “Do you have anything with a purple stone of some kind, thin band and a few diamonds embedded in it?” Suddenly, he saw exactly what he wanted in his mind, following the employee to the other end of the store where she pulled out two amethyst rings. One had a squared off stone, surrounded by diamonds and a plain white gold band and the other was a circular stone with intertwining thin bands and a few small diamonds embedded within them. “I think that one.”

Turning toward his friends, Spencer asked what they thought. 

“When you see this ring, what do you picture?” JJ asked, her hands clasped in front of her face, eyes watering at being part of such a happy moment in her best friend’s life. 

“I can see her eyes sparkle. I can picture it on her finger. I hear her saying yes – hopefully. Oh my god, what if she says no?” He asked, the panic creeping into his voice for a second before his the team calmed him down. 

“You love her and she loves you. She won’t say no,” Rossi assured him. “If you can picture all that, that’s the one.”

One ring, one woman, one lifetime together. 

As the employee cleaned up the ring and placed it in its box, Spencer focused in on it, his friends’ excited mutterings fading to the background as their uncertain future cemented itself before his eyes. Here or there, wherever they existed, he didn’t know. But they were happy and to him nothing else mattered.


	19. Chapter 19

Amidst the insanity of picking out a ring with his friends, introducing Eleise and her parents to his world and the general chaos of work, he hadn’t had time to himself in quite a while, so instead of calling of texting anyone, he decided to sit on the chair next to the window for a few moments of reflection. Between the sunlight streaming into his apartment and the warmth it brought, he was able to breathe. 

When he sat down, he felt the ring box in his pocket, resting heavily against his side. Although it wasn’t from her time, the ring would be perfect for Eleise – simplistic and beautiful. The amethyst sat in the center, held in place by four small prongs that did nothing to distract from the clarity. The ring itself had two intertwining bands. Spencer hadn’t thought about it too hard at the time, but it was symbolic of them, coming together from two separate worlds to fit together as if they’d always meant to. A few small, strategically placed diamonds in the bands brought the whole ring together into the perfect homage to her Victorian roots and whatever future the world had in store for them.

As the sun shone against the purple stone, casting a faint lavender light against the wall of his apartment, he wondered whether or not the ring itself would change its appearance when he walked through the door. Everything else had, so he didn’t see why not, but the idea made him smile. Or maybe it was just the idea of spending the rest of his life with the woman he loved that made him beam. Either way, he hadn’t been this happy in years and that was reason enough to smile.

\-------

When the family of three returned to their small home a few days earlier, Alfred and Eleanor had been too in shock by what they’d witnessed to say anything or formulate any questions about Spencer and the world in which he lived. After a few days time however, Alfred moved passed the initial shock and sought out his daughter after they both returned home from work. “Hello darling,” he said, kissing her cheek. “How was work today?”

“It was agreeable, Father.” She walked about the room, unable to keep focus, which had been an issue since her parents crossed the door’s threshold. “I’ve just been trying to comprehend everything in Spencer’s world. Some things I have imagined on some level, but others are just more spectacular than my wildest dreams.”

From his place on the couch, Alfred followed his daughter as she walked around the room. He had many questions about Spencer’s world, but he couldn’t be bothered to ask them when Eleise was so dreamily in love. Without even talking directly about him, Alfred could see just what his daughter would do for the man she loved. “Darling, I do have one question.”

“What is it, Father?”

“The door we walked through…does-,” he said, his voice cracking as the possible reality fell on him. “Does it ever close? Permanently?” 

Eleise’s eyes filled with tears as she stared into the eyes of her hero – the man who’d given anything and everything to provide for his family. The idea of leaving him behind forever made her stomach turn, but she knew Spencer felt the same about his mother. “I don’t know,” she said honestly, a tear falling from the corner of her eye. “For how smart Spencer is, he doesn’t know either. We’re trying to figure it out.”

Father and daughter sat in silence, his hands clasped around hers. All he’d ever wanted for her was her happiness, and if that meant leaving he would learn to live with whatever decision they made, but he couldn’t deny the giant tug on his heart when he thought of the possibility that one day, he could be seeing his daughter’s face for the last time.

For now, he’d revel in the time they had together. He’d remember all the lines of her face and how they differed from when she was a little girl. He’d revel in how proud he was of the woman she’d become and he’d imagine the woman she would come to be. No matter where she was or she might be, he knew more than anything else that she would make him proud.

\-------

Over the next few days, Eleise found herself able to process Spencer’s world, at least as best she could given her two brief visits. He visited her a couple of times – short visits just to see each other during the chaotic day-to-day life of law enforcers. Then they were hit with a bombshell – Chief Tennyson and his wife had checked if the door would reappear for them and it hadn’t. He tried to convince the couple that just because he and Alana couldn’t return to her time didn’t mean Eleise and Spencer’s situation would be the same, but it was still another thing that was hanging over their heads like a raincloud.

With her parents’ blessing, Eleise and Spencer were accompanied to the door and allowed to go on what Spencer called ‘a date.’ “It’s like courting,” Spencer had assured. “The difference is that it normally isn’t something parents participate in.”

“Where do you plan to take her?” Eleanor asked. “What do you plan to do?”

“I’ll take her to dinner, somewhere different than the other night-“

“Oh really?” Eleise asked disappointedly. “I want another waffle.”

Spencer laughed under his breath. “We can go back if you want another waffle.” His attention returned to her mother as he continued. “Then we’ll do something fun and I will have her home by 2000 hours.”

“What kind of activity?”

Immediately, Spencer could sense what her mother was implying and he corrected her quickly. “No, no, no, n-nothing like that,” he said as he stumbled over his words. “It’s something called mini golf.”

“I’ve heard of golf, but what is mini golf?” Eleise asked, clearly confused.

“With golf, you have to hit the ball hundreds if not thousands of yards in as few swings as possible-“

“Yards?” Eleanor questioned.

“Metres,” Spencer laughed, forgetting for a moment that not only was he living 150 years in the future, but also across the pond. “With mini golf, the distance is much smaller, and there are obstacles in the way like tunnels and ramps and little moving windmills. It’s, as you would say, precious.”

Eleise bounced up and down happily, which seemed to be enough for Eleanor. About 30 minutes later, they were accompanied to the door with promises that Spencer would return her at 8 PM.

When Spencer closed the door behind them, Eleise jumped into his arms and placed a kiss on the corner of his lips. “What was that for?” Spencer asked.

“Because I love you and I can get away with it here,” she giggled. “You make me happy. Will you teach me how to play the mini golf?”

There was nothing he wanted more. Like a cheesy romance, he couldn’t wait to stand behind her and guide her swing with the putter. Maybe sneak a kiss to her cheek or the side of her neck. “Absolutely,” he said happily, a somber tone immediately taking hold when the realization of their differing worlds washed over him again. “Eleise, do you think you could be happy here?”

“I do,” she replied dreamily. “I don’t think I could ever become accustomed to this world. Could you be happy in mine?”

“I think I could.” He didn’t want to think about leaving his mother behind, so for now he wouldn’t.

\-------

Just as he’d hoped, Eleise loved mini golfing. She was obsessed with the size of everything – from the small obstacles to the large buildings surrounding them -constantly asking how certain things worked and whether or not the stuff of her dreams was a reality here.

Between her childlike joy and his inability to focus on anything but the woman in front of him, the golf game went by in a flash, leaving Eleise saddened when the ball disappeared from sight for the last time. “Where does it go?” She asked.

“Since this is the last hole, there is a tube under the floor and using air, it pushes the ball back into the building so there is less for the employees to clean up.”

“That’s so clever!”

Leaning in, Spencer kissed the tip of her nose. “I love your wonder.”

“You live in a wondrous time.”

“So do you,” he whispered.

Someone cleared their throat behind them, wanting to take their shot at the last hole. “How about we go get something to eat?”

“Waffles?”

He suspected they’d be eating a lot of waffles in the next few weeks.

“Whatever you want, my love.”

\-------

The diner wasn’t all that crowded so shortly after they arrived they were seated at a table in the corner of the room with their orders placed. Of course, Eleise got her Belgian waffle, topped with strawberries this time, while Spencer got a giant omelette with bacon on the side.

Just as the waiter placed their food on the table, Spencer caught sight of something he wasn’t expecting – a few of his teammates – and they saw him.

“Eleise, a few of my friends walked into the diner, so they will probably want to meet you.” 

“They don’t know where I’m from yet, do they?”

“Not yet.”

“Okay I’ll be careful,” she said, stuffing another piece of waffle into her mouth.

Penelope teetered up to the table in her impossibly high heels, followed closely by Emily and JJ. “Oh my goodness, you must be Eleise! Boy Wonder’s love! I’m so glad to meet you. My name is Penelope!”

Shaking hands, Eleise made quick work of chewing her food so she wasn’t talking with her mouth full. She wasn’t sure if she could get away with that here, but she did want to maintain her Victorian upbringing, at least to some extent. “It’s wonderful to meet you,” she said, turning to shake hands with Emily and JJ as well. “Spencer has told me all about you.”

“And he’s told us all about you,” JJ smiled, just so happy that Spencer had a love he deserved. “He didn’t tell us you were British though. Your accent is adorable.”

“I don’t have an accent,” she laughed. “You do.”

They exchanged a few pleasantries for another moment or two, with Spencer interjecting when he needed to in order to keep Eleise from blowing their cover for the time being. “Well, we should probably go to our table and stop intruding on their date,” Emily said, practically pulling Penelope out of the seat next to Eleise to push her toward their booth on the other side of the restaurant. “But Eleise it was wonderful to meet you. We can’t wait to get to know you better.”

“And I, you,” she smiled, turning to Spencer quickly when they walked away. “How did I do?”

“Wonderfully,” he said, as his heart rate returned to normal. That was close. “How do you feel?”

“A bit better. I was nervous they wouldn’t like me. And I know what they mean to you.”

Spencer squeezed her hands in his and lifted them up to kiss the tops of them. “I knew they’d love you. Because I do.”


	20. Chapter 20

The BAU needed to know where Eleise came from, but if told them flat out with no proof whatsoever they would probably have him committed – and honestly he wouldn’t blame them. Insanity was only one word to describe the situation he and Eleise found themselves in.

No. They have to see it up close and personal.

With every ounce of courage he could muster, he invited his teammates over after work on a Friday. Everyone assumed it would be for a few drinks and some downtime after the hell that was this last week at work. He’d let them believe that for now. He had a different plan.

Would the plan work? Honestly, he wasn’t sure. All he had planned was to at some point bring out the book and pray the door showed up like it had before, that way he could bring them through and show them firsthand that he wasn’t actually crazy, unless they assumed they were all going insane in which case seeing a door into Victorian times from a modern American apartment would be their folie à plusieurs.

As everyone settled in to the nooks and crannies of his apartment, finally relaxed after a hard day’s work, Spencer grabbed the book from his room and took a deep breath. He was so nervous he could hear his heartbeat thumping in his ears. 

“Boy Wonder, what’s wrong? You seem anxious. Wait!” Her eyes went wide as she ran to his side. “Is this why you invited us all here? We all thought it was a little weird because he never really get together at anyone’s place but Rossi’s, but this would totally make sense!”

“What?” He asked confused. His mind was a jumble of a million different thoughts and emotions.

JJ smiled and sipped at her drink. “Is Eleise coming? Are you going to propose? That’s what we were wondering.”

That would actually make sense, but no, gathering them all here had a much more insane explanation. “Uh, no. Not yet. I actually wanted to t-tell you how w-we met,” he said, stroking the spine of the book in a silent prayer to will it into existence. Everyone had their eyes plastered to their nervous co-worker that none noticed the door appearing in the middle of his living room. “Ummm…you might want to turn around.” 

“What?” Morgan asked. He followed where Spencer pointed and the rest of the team followed. “What the hell is that?”

Rossi stared into his glass and back toward the door. “Am I drunk or is there a door in the middle of your living room?”

“Reid?” Hotch questioned. “What is going on here?”

“I can’t be this drunk yet,” Emily added, while JJ and Penelope stared slack-jawed in awe.

“This is how I met Eleise,” he whispered, bringing everyone’s attention back toward him. He held up the book of Benjamin’s story in front of their eyes, explaining how he’d found at the Library of Congress months back and snuck it out. “When I started reading it on the couch, the door appeared in front of me and…I walked through.”

“What would make you walk through a random door in your apartment, kid?” Morgan asked, clearly still horrified and questioning his sanity.

Spencer shrugged, unable to truly justify the clearly crazy decision he’d made then. “I don’t know. I just felt like it was right and then I met Eleise, so I was kind of right…right?” He smiled halfheartedly and walked to the door. “If you come with me, I can show you where Eleise is from.”

“Fuck it,” Emily laughed, pushing herself up off the couch. “This is batshit insane, but my life has been wild, so what’s walking through a door in the middle of my friend’s apartment gonna do to me?”

The rest of the team followed her lead, walking through the door behind Spencer and taking no notice at all to the fact that their clothes had changed just as his had.

“Spencer, your clothes are different!” Penelope squealed, drawing the attention of nearby shop-goers for a split second before they decided Spencer and his friends weren’t of any import.

“Uhhh, you all might want to look down.”

Eyes went wide as they all took in their new clothes. Hotch, the definitive Victorian gentleman was decked in a white high-collared shirt and black cotton pants, complete with black vest and lace-ups boots, gray frock coat and gold chain leading to the pocket watch he now sported.

Rossi looked more like an old-timey magician. Spencer didn’t dare say as much or he’d get his ass kicked, no matter how old Rossi was. Black trousers, a long morning coat, white shirt and red and black striped vest complete with top hat and cane had the older man turning to where the door was disappearing and yelling at it. “What I’m so old you give me a cane?”

His former astonishment washed away, Morgan looked like all he wanted was a mirror to take in his true glory, decked out in black pants and shoes, a white shirt, gold vest and maroon morning jacket. “Damn, I look good.”

“Yea, you do Chocolate Thunder. No matter where the hell we are. Spencer where are we?”

“1890s Victorian England.”

“How?” JJ asked.

Spencer chuckled, his hands held out on either side. “Do you actually think I have any explanation for this?”

All of them rolled through a hundred different emotions before marveling at their attire once more. JJ wore what the Victorians called a walking suit, which was basically a coat and dress all in one - a beautiful royal blue that complemented her eyes.

Emily sported a purple floor-length skirt, pinstripe blouse and black outing jacket and tie. Somehow, the door had put everyone in the perfect outfit befitting their personalities. Even Garcia was twirling in a red print dress with white lace and what in modern times would be considered a comically large hat. “How do you know this is Victorian England?” Hotch asked in whispered tones, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

“When I first wandered through the door, I still had my badge on me. It turned into a U.S. Marshall badge so I wandered into Scotland Yard, where they asked if I was the American sent to consult on the Ripper case,” he said proudly. Dr. Spencer Reid was officially the only modern man with firsthand knowledge of the Ripper case.

Rossi’s eyes practically popped from his head. “You investigated the Ripper?”

“Yup, with Eleise. She got a confession from Joseph Barnet about one of his supposed victims, but we weren’t able to get anything else from him.”

“So Eleise is an officer,” Rossi said proudly, clapping Spencer on the shoulder. “And a damn good one it seems.”

“This is insane,” Garcia laughed.

Spencer nodded. “Absolutely. But it’s happening and now that we’re here and can see that I’m not full of it, I’d like to introduce everyone to Eleise.”

Normally so confident in their daily lives, knowing where they belonged and what they were supposed to do, the six other members of the BAU followed Spencer’s lead as he walked down the streets toward Eleise’s home.

It took them a bit longer than it normally took Spencer to get there because they kept getting distracted by the goings on. A grocer’s on one side held delicious, in another direction stood a whole store just for cigars that Rossi was practically drooling over. Honestly, Spencer hadn’t paid much attention when he’d first arrived, something else driving his destiny toward Eleise. There was a store dedicated to boots and shoes and somehow he imagined that once he’d introduced everyone to Eleise, they’d all want to go shopping. On top of that, the street boasted a general store, a hat store and the bakery he’d gone to on one of his first visits here.

“187,” Penelope whispered as she ran to his side. “I need to get a pastry before we leave.”

“Duh,” he replied, kissing her cheek.

“And maybe you boys accompany Eleise, myself, Emily and JJ to the shoe store.”

“You know the shoes may not look the same back in our time, right?” Spencer asked.

“True,” she replied, “But I will still be in possession of a pair of shoes bought in the 1890s. What year is it here exactly?”

“1893.”

“Holy shit,” she laughed.

“I know!”

Once he’d corralled his friends back in the direction of Eleise’s home, it didn’t take much longer to get there. “She doesn’t know I’m coming, just that I intended to tell you all,” he whispered before knocking on the door.

“Do her parents know?” Rossi asked.

“Yea, I took them all to lunch at the diner by us. It was…something. They were very confused.”

“Well, that makes three of us.”

Spencer would’ve had to toss a coin to decide which face of Alfred’s was more confused – him walking through the door into modern times or randomly seeing seven Americans at his door. “Spencer, these must be the friends you’ve told us all about.”

“Yes, I was hoping to introduce them to Eleise, but if you’re in the middle of something I can come back later.”

“Not at all, please come in,” he said, stepping out of the doorway to allow them inside. “Eleise, Spencer is here with a surprise it seems!”

“A surprise?” She called. He loved the sound of her voice. Even in the most mundane of moments, her voice caressed him like a song. The delicate pitter patter of her shoes against the stairs came further and further down until she was standing there in front of them, mouth agape. “Jennifer, Emily and Penelope! And the rest of your friends! So, everyone knows but your mother.”

“Yes, but with my mother it’s probably best not to tell her exactly where you came from,” he laughed, turning toward his friends. “You already met Jennifer, Emily and Penelope the other day, but these are my other friends and co-workers, David, Aaron and Derek.” With a glance toward her mother and father, checking that it was okay to shake their hands, she stepped forward and introduced herself.

“I’m Eleise Griffiths. I never thought I’d marry for love in all honesty, but apparently I needed someone from 2011 to come and find me.”

Spencer blushed as red as a tomato and glanced down at the floor. “Pretty Boy has never been so in love,” Morgan said.

All three of the Griffiths spoke at the same time. “Pretty Boy?”

“That’s his nickname for me. One of them anyway,” Spencer laughed. “We have lots of nicknames for each other, but some of them could be quite difficult to explain.” Chocolate Thunder specifically. Boy Wonder, 187, Pennsylvania Petite…the list went on and on. “I was wondering, and of course your parents could accompany us, if you would all like to go shopping and maybe grab something at the bakery. I know my friends are keen to buy some shoes and pastries.”

Silence hung in the air for a few moments before Spencer noticed her parents’ hesitation. “You will pay for nothing, I promise. I’m happy to treat the woman I love and her family to a day out.”

“Are you sure?” Eleanor asked, not wanting to take advantage of his giving nature. When he nodded, she smiled softly and looked toward her husband. “I would like to get know everyone.”

“As would I,” he replied, turning around to grab his coat, as well as his wife and daughter’s full-length coats. If Eleise decided to live with Spencer in his time, he wanted to know that good people surrounded her, especially if the decision was made and he could no longer see the little girl he’d watched grow up. Plus, if that ended up being the case, he and Eleanor wanted to ensure that they took in every moment and experience they had with her until then.


	21. Chapter 21

Now that everything was out in the open, Spencer felt freer than he had in months. “Where should we start? The shoe store down the street? Oh, there was this wonderful little book store near Scotland Yard that I’ve been wanting to go to. Maybe we could go there first?”

Before anyone could speak, a violent gurgling sound reverberated throughout the small Victorian home. “Someone is hungry,” Eleanor laughed, allowing a little bit of her “ladylike” demeanor to slip away.

“Sorry,” Morgan replied. “I didn’t eat breakfast this morning and I didn’t expect to be crossing a multi-dimensional time portal before lunchtime.”

Snickering, Spencer suggested grabbing something to eat first at which point Eleise suggested going to the patisserie that they’d passed on the way to her house. “Do we have money?” Rossi asked.

“The door will have changed the money in your wallet to this currency,” Spencer replied.

Eleise watched with a contented smile, eyes darting between Spencer and his friends. She loved how well they got along and even felt a bit jealous, never really having friends that were anything more than an occasional social engagement and preferring the company of her mother and father more than anything else. “Ready?” She asked once the room fell silent.

The Griffith home had never made much of a mark in the neighborhood with the family going about their day quietly and keeping to themselves, but with the addition of seven Americans with a lifelong bond, the passersby took notice of the large group. Normally it would’ve bothered Eleise, not enjoying all eyes on her, but as she followed behind Spencer and his friends, they were all she noticed. While Spencer still walked and talked like the man she’d fallen in love with, this showed off a different side of him. “They seem like a very close-knit group,” Alfred remarked quietly. 

“That’s what he’s told me,” Eleise replied. “They are the family he chose.”

When they arrived at the patisserie it was buzzing with the normal Sunday crowd that was just leaving mass. The wait would be long, but they had company to keep and an array of pastries to choose from. Emily, Penelope and Morgan kept throwing different ideas for pastries around before finally deciding to all get something different and share. Spencer found himself talking with the oldest members of the BAU, leaving JJ to turn to the family of three. “Hello Eleise,” she found herself saying, feeling more proper than she would normally greet someone. “What do you think you’re going to get today?”

“Probably something with chocolate,” she said excitedly. JJ noticed the same glint in her eyes at the mention of chocolate that Spencer had whenever he realized that JJ kept jelly beans hidden in her desk drawer. “It’s more of an indulgence here.” A moment of silence hung between the two women as Eleise’s parents flagged her on either side. “Jennifer, you work with Spencer? As officers? It’s really more common in your time.”

JJ smiled and the two delved into a deep conversation about women in the workplace and the battles they still faced in 2011. “But women have come far and from what Spencer’s told us about you, you’re the female face of Scotland Yard.”

Blushing, the two fell into easy conversation again as the line moved forward. This whole situation was insane and indescribable and much like everyone else on the team, JJ had had her doubts about Eleise considering they knew nothing about her until now. However, seeing the subtle glances that passed between them left her with little doubt that Eleise and Spencer were meant for each other. She only hoped that Eleise would live in their time rather than the other way around.

After nearly 20 minutes, everyone decided on and bought their pastries, with the BAU chipping in to treat Eleise and her family to their delicacies. Among the others that gathered in idle chit chat outside the store, Spencer stood with the family he’d chosen and the family he hoped would be his exchanging bites of their chocolate, almond, princess and Polish tartlets, croissants and Rossi’s savory pastry which he fell in love with and had to order another one – and one for Morgan who it seemed had a second stomach today.

Although Penelope was excited to buy some genuine Victorian shoes, Spencer’s child-like enthusiasm at the thought of an Old English bookstore made everyone change their minds and appease their resident genius. “Mother, Father, do we have enough money for the newest Holmes serial?” The last book she’d been able to buy had been the Sign of Four a few years ago. 

At their hesitation, Spencer offered to buy it for her, never wanting her, or anyone really, to go without a book if he could help it. “I would like to pick up a few of his books and Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy as well.” In his head he was calm, but the idea of having first editions of some of his favorite works made him want to jump up and down like a child on Christmas morning. Eleise’s parents smiled gratefully. Most of their money went to food and paying off the regular bills of the household. Although they indulged occasionally, it was extremely rare and books tended to be low on the list of priorities. 

Eleanor and Eleise gravitated toward the ladies of the BAU on their way to the bookstore, leaving Alfred to ask Spencer, Morgan, Rossi and Hotch about life in 2011. He was particularly fascinated by the concept of the Internet. “You’ve heard about the Library of Alexandria, right?” Spencer asked.

A learned man, Alfred nodded, mouth dropping open when the BAU men told him that nearly everyone held the Library of Alexandria in their pockets in the form of mobile phones. Eventually, Rossi, Hotch and Morgan zoned out as Spencer explained the technicalities behind the Internet much to Alfred’s fascination.  
Entering the store was entering another world, the hustle and bustle of daily life falling to silence as everyone became ensconced in their books. They’d been apart for most of the day thus far but in the comforting and slightly musty store, they came together again, eyes aglow as they talked about the other worlds they’d been to in the form of flipping pages. 

As the blooming couple got lost in each other, everyone else glanced on in awe of them, occasionally grabbing a book but far too engrossed in them to care much. It was apparent to all that the two belonged together. Before long they’d spent an hour and a half in the shop, and while her parents and his friends came out with very little, Spencer and Eleise left with a large stack of books in hand. 

The final stop of the day was the shoe store that Penelope, JJ and Emily had taken notice of when they’d first entered the door earlier that day. Hotch didn’t seem to care if he had shoes either way so he ended up talking to Alfred most of the time, while Rossi mingled with the BAU ladies and offered to buy them a pair of shoes each, for which they’d be eternally grateful. Spencer ensured that Eleise and Eleanor both had a pair of heels they desired considering shoes were even lower on the list of priorities than books.

“Thank you, Spencer,” Eleanor said softly. 

“It’s no problem,” he insisted. “As a child I didn’t have a lot other than books and I only had them because my universities gave my scholarships and stipends. Most of our money went to keeping my mom healthy and I’m a firm believer in the occasional indulgence. I hope you like them.”

“I love them.” They were nicer shoes than she’d ever had. Even the ones she’d worn when marrying Alfred weren’t as nice. Though she’d had her doubts about Spencer after learning where he was from, she couldn’t deny that he was ever the gentleman and a perfect match for her daughter.

Their day in Victorian times went by in a flash and simultaneously felt like forever in the best way, but by the end they were all exhausted, limbs heavy from carrying so many pairs of shoes and stacks of books. Back at the Griffith home, Alfred found himself interested in what Spencer and his team actually did – their specific place in law enforcement. “We track down criminals through psychological profiling. The way a person behaves can give us an indication as to why they do what they do and lead us in a direction that will allow us to catch them,” Hotch explained. “We fly all around out country helping other law enforcement agencies that need our expertise. Your Jack the Ripper case is one of the first on record as a killer of multiple people. In our time, we call that a serial killer, which is where we tend to specialize.”

“Have any of you ever been shot?” Eleanor asked, not expecting the amount of hands that went up – all of them.

“We have things called bulletproof vests now that do prevent a lot of law enforcement injuries,” Morgan added at seeing Eleanor’s horrified face. “It’s made of a material that can stop a bullet in its tracks.”

Eleise quickly excused herself to the restroom as the conversation continued, allowed Eleanor and Alfred to ask one of the questions they’d been holding inside. “Spencer, I have no idea where this relationship will take you. I believe you and our daughter are meant for each other,” Alfred said, “Just promise me that no matter where she is, here or there, that you – all of you – will keep my little girl safe.”

“I promise. I would rather die than let anything happen to her.” A somber tone fell over the group before Eleise came back and they picked things back up in a lively fashion, carrying on as if nothing had happened. While everyone went back into talking about work, their voices faded into the back of Spencer’s mind. The door was supposed to bring people together, but if he or Eleise couldn’t go back to see their families, it could tear them apart. The door wouldn’t allow that to happen…would it?

-

Returning home after walking Spencer and his friends back toward the alleyway where the door resided, Eleanor brought up the question she’d been most afraid to ask. “Eleise, dear…have you thought about your future with Spencer…w-where you’d live?”

Her stomach sank. Nearly every waking moment had been spent thinking about exactly that. “I have thought about my future with him. Mother, I love him. I want to marry him and have his children and grow old with him knowing that he will support me at every turn. He’s perfect for me. His mother is ill…I couldn’t…” The tears filled her eyes as the answer remained unspoken but clear. She would be the one taking the risk and walking through the door without knowing whether or not it would open again. Alfred and Eleanor wrapped their arms around their little girl, rocking slowly against each other. Somehow they’d known what her answer would be, but the possibility still hung heavily in their minds. If Spencer made her happy, that was all they could possibly ask because it was truly all they’d ever wanted for her. Eleise would have to have faith in their love, in their story and pray they could weather whatever storms came their way.


	22. Chapter 22

Nearly a month had passed since Spencer bought Eleise’s engagement ring and he’d spent just as long wondering when would be the right time to propose. Nights were spent tossing and turning. Days were spent at his desk staring at screens and papers with thoughts of far away. Every waking moment (and even some dreams) were spent trying to find a way to ensure Eleise would be able to return to her world whenever she wanted. Everyone they loved, minus Spencer’s mother, knew the circumstances of their relationship - of the door that separated their worlds and the possibility of it turning to dust once and for all – but no one had any answers.

After a number of conversations about where they would go and why, the pros and cons of each side, Eleise decided that upon their marriage she would move to his time. No matter how much she loved Spencer, and she did, with every fiber of her being, the thought of never seeing her parents again weighed heavily on her mind, and Spencer knew it. 

As he paced the wooden floors of his apartment flipping the ring box around in his pocket, he took note of the time. Eleise would be at work, as would Alfred, but he wanted to ask her father for his permission to marry his daughter and he couldn’t do that with Eleise in the house. Asking her parents for their blessing wouldn’t be easy; they knew what was at stake, but he wanted to marry her, raise a family and no matter when he asked the possibility of the door vanishing would remain. They’d already met and fallen in love under impossible odds so it didn’t matter what came their way, right? They would be able to weather the storms together?

Slipping on his jacket, he picked up the book and watched the door materialize in front of him, stepping through with an overwhelming sense of purpose and yet uncertainty. Instead of taking a right out of the alley to head toward Eleise’s home and Scotland Yard, he turned left in search of Alfred’s firm, hoping that he would find the older man with a free moment or two where he could stumble over his words in asking one of the most important questions of his life.

Rarely had there been a day where he’d visited and hadn’t been greeted by rain, but today, as he strolled down the street, he saw the sun peeking out from behind a cloud, bringing a smile to his face. Maybe it was a good sign. 

Arriving at Alfred’s firm, the ring sat like a concrete block in his pocket. “Spencer, what brings you here?” He asked, clearly surprised to see his daughter’s suitor at his job once again.

“Hello,” he greeted shyly. “I actually came here because I have s-something I’d like to ask you and I can’t with Eleise in the house.”

Immediately, a range of emotions washed over Alfred, and Spencer could see it in his eyes. The Victorian man knew this day was coming, and sooner rather than later, but now that the moment had arrived, he couldn’t reconcile the tremendous sense of joy at his daughter’s near betrothal and the imminent feeling of dread that bubbled in his stomach knowing what was to come. Though he felt a bit sick to his stomach, he smiled, noting how similar Spencer looked to him when he’d asked Eleanor’s father if he could marry her. “Go ahead,” he said, smiling.

“Sir, I love Eleise with all my heart and soul. In our future I see happiness. I see a family. I see myself falling more in love with her every day, but it is important to me that I have your blessing. Mr. Griffiths, will you give me permission to ask for Eleise’s hand in marriage?” That might have been one of the most nerve-wracking moments of his life, but he felt amazing, especially when Alfred’s lips turned up into a smile.

“Promise me that you’ll love my daughter for as long as you live and you have it.” 

Spencer felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes. “For as long as I live and more.”

“Do you have a ring?” Alfred asked, after a moment of silence passed between them.

Finally able to breathe again, he pulled the ring out of his pocket. For some reason he hadn’t taken a look at it when he walked through the door and was pleasantly surprised to see the ring was just as beautiful – bright platinum now a beautiful silver, two bands entwined together and a shining purple stone on top. “She will love this. It’s beautiful, Spencer.” He could his eyes start to water and cleared his throat to push away the unwanted emotion. This was a happy occasion and he wouldn’t allow his fears to dampen the excitement of the day. “One other thing,” he added. “I also ask that you go to our home and ask Eleanor as well.”

“Absolutely,” Spencer said quickly, his heart beating a thousand miles a minute. “And thank you again. I promise you that I’ll endeavor to make her happy for as long as I live.” 

With a small wave, he thanked Alfred a third time and headed out the door, practically sprinting to Eleise’s home to ask Eleanor’s permission as well. Like her husband, she was surprised to see Spencer without Eleise, but after a moment’s thought she knew why. “Do you want to marry my daughter, Spencer Reid?”

He gently nodded. “How did you know?”

“Alfred looked the same way when he asked my father. Don’t tell Alfred, but I’d been spying on him at the time so I knew it was coming.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” he laughed. “Yes. I want to marry Eleise. I want to love her until the day I die.”

“Have you already asked Alfred?”

“Yes. He gave his permission and asked that I come here as well.”

Eleanor chuckled softly at her husband’s gentlemanly nature. Many friends of hers had husbands that never asked their decisions on anything, but Alfred was one of a kind – like Spencer. “Do right by my daughter and you have my permission as well.”

A tear fell down Spencer’s cheek when he thanked her profusely, proudly showing her the ring he’d picked. Like the man, the ring had a mother’s approval. “May I ask a favor?” Spencer wondered aloud.

“Yes, of course.”

“There is a place nearby where I would like to propose to Eleise – the large pond near the church, surrounded by trees. With the leaves changing color, I believe it would be the perfect place, but I don’t want to put her at risk for social ridicule. With you there, observing, she would still appear the chaste Victorian woman she is.”

Eleanor smiled. It was a proposal befitting of her daughter. “What time?”

——

At quarter past six that evening, Spencer paced the ground near the church, a mirror image of the small clearing of trees and the sunset reflecting in the water nearby. He’d been there for nearly an hour even though he’d told Eleanor exactly what time to be here. He just had no idea what to do with himself. He couldn’t sit still. Finally, the moment arrived when Eleise and her parents walked toward the church, the younger woman none the wiser in regards to being brought her at such an odd time.

“Spencer!” She caught his eye and had to keep herself from running toward him, still wanting to uphold the perfect Victorian image for the sake of her parents. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to ask you something,” he started, glancing toward where Alfred and Eleanor stood about 100 feet away. “When we first met, I knew there was something drawing me to you. I didn’t know what it was, but I would be in my apartment and I wouldn’t be able to get you off my mind. Then I knew why. I love you. When you’re not around, my eyes search for you. I hear the sweetness of your voice linger in my ears. As a man of science, I’ve always wanted to know what came next. I needed the answers. I don’t anymore. I know that we’ll laugh together and we’ll cry together. I know we’ll face good times and bad, but I want that all with you. Every beat of my heart says I love you and if you will let me I will spend the rest of life showing you just how much. Eleise…will you marry me?”

Whenever Spencer had imagined this moment, he assumed he’d stumble over his words, but no message had ever been more clear. Eleise’s eyes glazed over with tears. “Yes, Spencer. I will!”

Glancing around, she saw her parents tear-stained cheeks, but no one else and jumped into Spencer’s arms, the wind flowing through her hair as he twirled and set her down near the lake, lips meeting in a chaste kiss full of future possibility as the sun set on the horizon.


	23. Chapter 23

“What is this?” Eleise asked sweetly, glancing between the tear-stained face of her soon-to-be husband and the shining purple stone.

Spencer chuckled softly as Eleise held out her hand. “I know this isn’t customary here but in my time, it is customary to give what’s called an engagement ring – a betrothal ring so to speak – to show the world we’ll be married.”

Smiling at the thought of all that she had yet to learn about Spencer’s time, she leaned against his chest momentarily before blushing. Her parents were still behind her. She turned her head to meet their teary-eyed gazes and beamed. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed. “Does it-does it look different in your time?”

“A little bit. Slightly brighter and more defined, but when I saw it, I saw it on your finger.”

—–

After moving past the initial confusion of an engagement ring, the two decided that they didn’t want to wait months or years as was normal in modern times. They wanted to be married as soon as possible and through themselves into pulling together an intimate wedding for their family and friends.

“We should combine our times somehow,” Spencer said offhandedly as they were discussing wedding plans. “Do you want to have the wedding here?”

A small hint of sadness hit her - the realization that her time in her home country was coming to an end – but she pushed it to the side and smiled. “Yes, as long as that was okay with you too.”

“I assumed you would want to have it here,” he replied. The thought of Eleise leaving her family filled with him with dread, but all he could do was hold out hope that the door wouldn’t let them down. “Emily, JJ and Penelope would love to accompany you when you go with your mother to pick out your dress, but if you don’t want them to they will understand.”

Her eyes lit up at the thought. “Brides make a day out of it?” She asked, the carriage passing the rain-slick streets with soft steps of the horse’s hooves. Being engaged meant she and Spencer could be slightly more open in public, holding hands and meeting without a chaperone. “I would love that. I want them to be my bridesmaid’s so we can pick them out then too.”

“What color would you like?”

“Color?”

“Well, in our time, bridesmaids don’t wear white so as to not distract from the bride.”

Eleise loved the idea and immediately insisted that purple be the common thread in their wedding decorations and attire. “I was hoping you’d say purple,” Spencer laughed. “And when it comes to what dress you want, the money is not important. Pick whatever you love most.”

“How did I get so lucky?”

“I think I’m the lucky one.”

—–

With unbridled joy and a growing dread, Eleanor planned a gathering to announce Eleise’s engagement – mostly neighbors, and family and friends from Alfred’s firm. Eleise had one secretary at the Yard that she talked with on occasion and invited her, but save for that the gathering was for show – a nod to her Victorian heritage.

Though she’d always known what was expected of her, she loathed the small talk she was forced to make, the excuses she was supposed to make for marrying “so late” in her life. 26 was late apparently. Spencer told her it was fairly early in 2011. Maybe it wouldn’t perfect. In fact, she knew it wouldn’t be. There would be things about Spencer’s time she couldn’t stand, but women seemed to fair better.

When all the guests finally left, Eleanor thanked her daughter for giving her the ability to throw the gathering. She didn’t mention it aloud, but with Eleise leaving this time behind, Eleanor at least wanted to keep up appearances if for no other reason than convenience.

The following day, Emily, JJ and Penelope walked through the door to accompany Eleise and her mother to search for the perfect Victorian gown.

Spencer insisted that the cost of the dress was no matter, but Eleise still kept the cost of the gown in mind as they sought out the perfect dress. There were a number of bridal shops in the area but they had little luck at the first three. Most of the dresses reminded Eleise too much of her mother’s wedding dress. “It’s too puffy for me, Mother.”

Oh, how the times had changed.

The majority of the others reminded her of the Queen’s, also too much for her taste. Considering she was a bride, she wanted to wear something with some sparkle, but finding the balance between shine and simplicity was more difficult than she’d ever imagined.

After stopping for a bite to each courtesy of Emily, JJ and Penelope, they continued on to the last store in the area. Eleise prayed they’d be able to find something. “That one!” Penelope said before they even walked in the door. “It’s stunning!”

“That’s something that would even hold up in our time,” JJ commented.

“Absolutely timeless.”

The dress in question was modeled in the window. Soft pink lace sleeves and color met with a beaded butterfly like it might as it flies toward the horizon. Pearlescent beads shone different shades of white, cream, pink and purple depending on where the sun hit it. From there down, the skirt flared gently outward with just enough detail to hold the theming of the dress together. She loved it.

Walking into the store, Eleise immediately scanned the dress for a price. “I can’t possibly buy this!” She exclaimed, crestfallen at the idea that her dream dress was so wildly out of reach. “It’s too much! I assumed I’d spend about six pounds, possibly eight.”

“Spencer told us to remind you that money was no problem,” Emily reminded her, gently touching Eleise’s arm.

Turning away from the dress with a somber smile, she nodded. “I know, but that dress is nearly 30 pounds. I want to look around the store first. See if I can find something less expensive.”

Even though Penelope especially, but Emily and JJ as well, wanted to see Eleise in the dress in the window, they appeased Eleise and searched around the store, using their modern fashion sense in the middle of Victorian England to find a good amalgam of the two.

Nothing felt right to Eleise. On more than one occasion, she found herself yearning to try on the one that had captured her heart. Downcast and on the verge of tears, Eleise struggled with the thought of spending so much, even if it wasn’t her money to spend. Although her mother was horrified by the price and couldn’t imagine spending so much, she believed Spencer when he said he would pay any price. “Dear,” she started, pushing a strand of her daughter’s hair out of her face, “Spencer did say that he would pay anything if you loved it. Why don’t you try it on?”

She approached the window and looked up at the garment in awe, her gaze bouncing between her mother, her new friends and the owner of the store, whose wife also worked their to help with dressing and fitting. “Good afternoon,” he greeted, bowing slightly before extending his hand. “You must be the beautiful bride. Would you like to try this one on? My wife can assist you.”

Swallowing hard, she nodded much to the happiness of everyone around her. The BAU ladies sat in wait for Eleise to come out from the back of the store. English dressing customs, all the petticoats and slips that needed to be worn in addition to the dress taking much more time than they’d intended, but when she emerged from the back they knew it was worth the wait. “You look like an angel,” Eleanor muttered softly, clenched hands held in front of her face.

There were very few times in Eleise’s life that she remembered her mother crying, but here she was. The blushing bride turned toward the mirror and back to her mother as the storeowner commented on how beautifully the dress looked on her. “It’s beautiful. Even more so on than it was in the window.”

“You are a picture of splendor and beauty,” the storeowner said with a smile.

Emily and JJ sat silently, beaming, but Penelope couldn’t hold herself. “Is this the one?” Eleise still had reservations regarding the price. “Spencer has given us his money for a down payment. We also want to give you two pounds a piece, and Spencer can return with you to pay for the rest.”

Eleise’s eyes brimmed with tears at the overwhelming sense of gratitude and emotion. “Are you sure?”

They hadn’t know her long, but she was the love of Spencer’s life and that meant she was family. “Yes,” Emily replied. “You look beautiful. Spencer loves you, which means we do to.”

“Then yes,” she sniffled, gratefully grabbing the handkerchief her mother offered. “I’ll need a veil or headpiece.”

“Spencer told us that Queen Victoria wore orange blossoms at her wedding,” JJ said fondly, imaging a flower crown on top of Eleise’s head. “What about that?”

Eleanor could see the light flare up in her daughter’s eyes followed by a quick flash of uncertainty. “That will be a gift from your father and I.”

Flinging herself in her mother’s direction, Eleise sobbed into her shoulder. Watching her become the woman that stood before had been everything Eleanor ever hoped it would be.

Having decided on the dress, Eleise got changed back into the clothing she’d worn earlier allowing Emily, JJ and Penelope to settle the matter of payment with the storeowner; it was an astounding 31 pounds, 8 shillings and 2 and three quarter pence. Between the BAU ladies, the price came down to 25 pounds even. The money Spencer gave to them brought it down again to 15. “My fiancée can return with me soon to pay off the rest of the debt,” Eleise smiled softly. “Is that agreeable?”

“Absolutely,” he replied. “Thank you, Miss Griffiths. I’m sure you will be the picture of perfection on your wedding day.”

It had been a long and tiring day, but there was still one thing on her mind. She had the dress. She knew the flowers she wanted. She knew who would be in attendance. But there was one other matter she needed to attend to before they could pull together the simple wedding she’d always wanted.

All five women returned to the alleyway where JJ, Penelope and Emily returned home. “Spencer, there is one matter I wanted to discuss with you. Actually two.”

Spencer invited Eleise and her mother into his apartment and closed the door, once again handing Eleanor a blanket to cover her modesty if she so chose. “What is it?”

“We both wanted this to be simple, yes? Just my parents and your friends?”

“Yes. Definitely.”

“What about your mother?”

Spencer sighed. “With my mother’s diagnosis, I don’t think it would be wise to bring her here. I don’t think she would be able to comprehend it. I hoped that maybe we could do a courthouse wedding here. That’s what we call it. And we could get married in front of her at that point. We would need to do something like that here anyway because I highly doubt a marriage license from the 1890s would hold up in 2011.”

Giggling, Eleise placed her hand over Spencer’s. “That would be wonderful. I would like your mother to see us get married in some way.”

“Me too,” he said, pausing. “What was the other thing you wanted to ask me?’

They discussed religion before. Eleise had be born into the Church of England and although she wasn’t a strict practitioner and was questioning certain practices as of late, she always dreamed of getting married in the church she attended as a child. “I wanted to get married in my childhood church, but…”

“But I would have to be baptized into the church, right?”

Nodding, her breath caught in her throat. She knew Spencer wasn’t religious, explaining his reasons for being a man of science and she respected that, but getting married in her church had always been her dream. “Would you?” She asked, almost too softly for anyone to hear.

“Of course,” Spencer smiled. Just as Eleise had before, Spencer noted the sheen in her mother’s eyes. 

“Really?”

“Absolutely. I may not practice, but I would do anything for you.”

She leapt across the expanse between them and wrapped her arms around his neck, tears rolling down her cheeks to land on his t-shirt. “Thank you, Spencer. I’ll never understand how I got so lucky.”


	24. Chapter 24

It hadn’t surprised anyone in the BAU when Spencer told them he was planning to be baptized into the Church of England. Their favorite boy genius loved with his whole heart. If he loved someone, there was nothing he wouldn’t do, including taking on a religion that he didn’t wholeheartedly believe.

With tears in his eyes, Alfred asked for a moment alone with Spencer, leaving Eleise to talk in the kitchen with her mother. “Spencer, I can see you’re a good man, and whether you are religious or not, I can’t express how grateful I am that you’ve agreed to this.”

Spencer smiled softly, his own eyes glazing over with tears. It wasn’t the act of being baptized that was getting to him – more the overwhelming emotion that he’d finally found someone he was willing to do all that for. “I would do anything for her, Sir. I’m not a religious man, but I strive to be a good one.”

Alfred straightened out the lapels of Spencer’s suit before bringing him into a warm embrace. Never the one for touch, he leaned into the older man – a fatherly hug from a man he thought of as more of a father than his own. 

Clearing his throat, Alfred waved for his wife and daughter to join them so they could all make their way over to the church where they’d eventually be married. Eleise stood in the doorway, misty-eyed and grateful as Spencer held her coat up for her to slip into. 

As they stepped out onto the street, passersby glanced on, lingering maybe slightly too long. Spencer and Eleise were allowed to hold hands in public now that they were engaged but in a town where most people knew each other in some way, some judged the young woman for marrying “so late” in life – to an American man above her class no less. Though the unwanted attention bothered Alfred and Eleanor to a degree, Spencer and Eleise were in their own little world and couldn’t be bothered to care what anyone else thought.

Spencer found himself wanting to chuckle as they walked. Cliché didn’t even begin to cover it. The sun shone, blanketing everyone in warmth, the birds were chirping overhead; flowers bloomed and filled the air with a softness and stillness only they could provide. Whether it was actually a picture-perfect day or his happiness exemplified the good, he didn’t know – and quite honestly he didn’t care.

A short while after leaving the house, they arrived at the church, where only the priest and two altar boys sat in wait. In order to be baptized, he needed ‘godparents’ so to speak. Eleanor and Alfred were more than happy to be those for him. In fact, Eleanor sobbed when he’d asked. 

“This must be the soon-to-be husband,” the priest said, extending his hand toward Spencer. “Pleased to finally meet you. Eleise has told me all about you.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Spencer stammered, gripping Father Weston’s hand just a fraction longer than was necessary. Getting his head dunked into the basin as an adult man was already going to be awkward enough, he didn’t want to embarrass himself further. 

Ushering them up toward the altar with a friendly smile, Father Weston proceeded to ask if they were ready to begin. “Baptisms for children and adults only differ in slight ways – one of them being that I will ask certain questions of you, Spencer, that I might ask of a child’s parents. When it comes to your questions, upon your reply I will baptize you in this consecrated water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Firstly, Alfred and Eleanor, what is it that you ask of the church today?”

“Baptism, so that this man and our daughter may be wed in the church,” Eleanor replied fondly. 

“And this is your will as well?”

Spencer nodded softly as the sacrament continued. “You have asked of him to be baptized. In doing this, Alfred and Eleanor, you are accepting the responsibility of fostering this man in the ways of the church and the practice of faith. Do you clearly understand your undertaking?”

“We do.”

Father Weston smiled and stepped toward Spencer. “Spencer, the Church welcomes you with open arms. In its name, I claim you for Christ by the sign of the cross. I now trace the cross on your forehead and invite Alfred and Eleanor to do the same.”

Doing as the priest asked, they then stepped back to allow him to read a passage from the Bible. 

As the sun mirrored the stained glass on the floor at his feet, the priest continued with the ceremony, asking Spencer if he renounced Satan and all his false promises. Each ‘I do’ fell from his lips more and more easily knowing that with this he was one step closer to saying the ‘I do’ that would truly change his life forever.

“It is your will that you baptized into the Church?”

“Yes, Father.”

“Then step forward, please.”

Blue stained glass lit up the basin of holy water, making it appear gentle like the sea. He walked up and followed the priest’s lead, bending down toward the basin so the water could be poured over his head. 

“I baptize you In The Name of The Father.”

When the water sluiced over his head, he nearly shrieked it was so cold. In 2011, they would warm up the water in many cases; this however chilled him to the bone. 

“And of The Son.”

Another pour of water froze him further. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eleise behind Father Weston, her hands held in front of her face stifling a laugh. Apparently Spencer wasn’t that great at keeping how physically uncomfortable he was from showing on his face.

“And of The Holy Ghost.”

The last pour soaked his hair down to his scalp, but then he was allowed up once again and passed a rag to dry it out a bit. “Spencer, this is the fountain of life, water that was made holy by Christ’s suffering, washing the world of its sins. You who are washed in this water, have hope of Heaven’s kingdom.”

Another short passage was read and a song sung. Despite the chill, Spencer felt fulfilled as he watched Eleise sing the hymn in question. Her voice had always been beautiful, but he’d never heard her sing before. If there were such things as angels, she was one on Earth. The group exchanged a few pleasantries before Father Weston congratulated him once again. “Now that you are a member of the Church, we can schedule your wedding.”

Both Eleise and Spencer asked that they be married as soon as possible as neither wanted to wait any longer. “I’ve waited long enough to find the man I love,” she said quietly into the emptiness of the church. Her confession echoed against the walls and ascended toward the angels she just knew had to be there watching over them. 

With the day scheduled for a fortnight later, they left and returned home where Spencer was finally able to push away the chill. “How do you feel?” Alfred asked.

“Happy,” he replied honestly. Spencer could tell that Alfred wanted to know whether or not he might have felt some religious connection, but he hadn’t not really – save for believing Eleise to be an angel on Earth. But he wasn’t about to shatter the man’s illusions just to “prove” that he might be right. “I can marry the woman I love now. How could I not be happy?”

Alfred invited Spencer to stay for a while as Eleanor prepared dinner. Eleise flitted in and out of the room, conversing with her father and soon-to-be husband while also assisting her mother with the evening’s meal. “You are of course invited to dinner, Spencer,” Eleanor said a couple hours later. 

“Much appreciated,” he replied. “But I have told my friends I’d go with them to dinner tonight. Maybe tomorrow?”

“We’d love that.”

Once Spencer’s hair was finally dry, he decided to head home. “I will see you tomorrow,” he said with a smile, kissing her forehead. “I love you. The day we get married will be the happiest day of my life.”

Blushing, she buried her head in his chest and whispered, “I love you.”

-

With Spencer gone for the night, Eleise floated around the house with an enormous grin on her face. During dinner, she spoke excitedly about her dress and the violet dresses the bridesmaids had chosen (with her approval of course). She and her mother talked about the array of orange blossoms that Spencer was procuring. Her father asked what passages she wanted read at the ceremony. The entire family fell into an easy and almost whimsical conversation about the goings on of the big day. 

Early evening faded into night and before long Eleise grew tired, excusing herself to retire to bed for the night. With a smile on her face, she slipped on her nightclothes and tucked herself into bed, the warmth of the blankets slowly lulling her to sleep. 

Soon she would be married to the love of her life. They would live together. They would share a bed. They would build a family together. Spencer would be at her side every step of the way, fostering her every dream. It was everything she’d ever dreamed. 

But that meant she would be away from her mother and father…maybe permanently. They didn’t know. Shooting up in bed, Eleise clutched her chest at the thought. They might never get to see her and Spencer grow in their love. They might never meet their grandchildren. They might never see the woman she grows into. Tears sprang to life at the corners of her eyes, sliding down her cheeks and onto the blankets below. Spencer was her future, but what if she was forced to let go of her past?


	25. Chapter 25

She couldn’t quite believe it – the day finally arrived. Her wedding day.

She’d also gathered her something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue and a silver sixpence for her shoe. Her something old and borrowed was a silver bracelet her mother had received from her father on their fifth wedding anniversary. The something new would be her flower crown and her something blue wouldn’t actually be worn on that day, but rather that night. Spencer had asked if he could buy her lingerie, in a deep blue he loved, for their wedding night – something she anticipated more than she wanted to admit aloud. 

The last two weeks felt simultaneously slower than molasses and faster than a speeding bullet. Last minute plans and decorations had to be purchased. Another panic attack or two needed to happen. Eleise questioned everything – not her love for Spencer – but everything else, and of course her mother had to have the dreaded conversation with her. 

“In my time, mothers used to tell their daughters to ‘lie back and think of England,’” Eleanor said with a slight smile.

Blushing, Eleise looked away and toward the kitchen, wondering if her father could hear the conversation at all. “That’s horrible!” She replied. “I want to enjoy my husband, not lie back and think of something else! Also, must we have this conversation?”

It wasn’t that she knew nothing; she knew more than most women her age in Victorian times. But hearing her mother talk about such things…it felt scandalous. From now on the only person she wanted hearing her say such things was Spencer.

Unfortunately for Eleise, her mother did go into some detail about the way bodies moved and reacted, but she eventually moved passed the goings on and cupped her daughter’s face in her hands. “Many women will tell you that your wedding night isn’t meant to be enjoyed by you, but by your husband. I disagree. Communicate with him and relax and you will be fine.”

She blushed and looked to the far corner of the room, grateful for the advice and yet desperate to end the conversation. “Thank you, Mother.”

\-----

Through all the doubt and wondering and uncertainties, she knew she wanted Spencer for the rest of her life – through the good and the bad, she wanted to confront it all with him.

Getting ready that afternoon, she stood in front of the mirror as her mother helped her dress for the big day. One thing she was definitely looking forward to was not having to wear so many layers underneath her clothing. She didn’t want to dress scandalously by any means, but it had been nearly three-quarters of an hour and there was no end in sight. Why a chemise, drawers, stockings and a corset were all necessary underneath was beyond her understanding. In her brief times in Spencer’s world, she reveled in the freedom the bra afforded her movements.

“Are you okay, Eleise?” Her mother asked. 

“Of course,” she replied with a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You are moving about a lot.”

“It’s just the layers of clothing. It all takes so long!”

Eleanor giggled at her daughter’s exasperation. “It was worse when I got married.”

“I can’t even imagine, Mother.”

A bustle pad added a little extra in the derriere area. It was expected, but she hated it, despite the fact that she enjoyed the way the dress looked with it underneath. Penelope mentioned not needing it because Eleise already had a “booty,” which was apparently a good thing in 2011, but she would wear it anyway. Her mother seemed to be enjoying the ceremony of it all. Despite the lingering worries in the back of her mind, she was determined to push it away, and that meant seeing her parents smile. 

With a petticoat for extra body, a camisole to cover the lines of her corset and her boots, she was finally able to slip on the dress that made her feel every inch the Victorian bride. Finally, the ensemble was complete and topped with a flower crown of orange blossoms adorning her head. “Don’t turn around yet,” her mother said excitedly, placing the bracelet around her daughter’s wrist before running up the stairs. “Your father must see you first.”

Eleise waited impatiently, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet in anticipation. She’d seen the dress on herself before, but today it was actually happening. Today, she’d walk down the aisle of her childhood church and marry the man she loved with all her heart and soul.

She heard her father come down the stairs and immediately regretted having put on her minimal makeup before her father saw her. “Ready, darling?”

“Yes.”

Rounding the corner, Alfred instantly began crying. “You look beautiful,” he whispered through shaky breaths.

“Don’t cry, Father. You’ll make me cry.”

“I can’t help it,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “You’ve become every bit the woman I knew you would be. I’m so proud of you.”

Eleise felt warm tears stream down her cheek and onto her father’s coat. Knowing that in a day’s time, she would be on the other side of the door meant he held on just a little too long and a little too tightly. “Thank you, Father. Both of you. I love you both so much. I just…”

Alfred pulled back and brought his finger up to her mouth. “We know, love. Today is a happy day. No matter what happens, where you are, we’ll always be with you.”

The mother, father and daughter stood silently in the home in which she’d grown up, glancing at the kitchen table where so many meals had been eaten, upstairs toward her room – now a childhood room that held all the memories of playful afternoons and restful evenings. A new stage of her life began now.

“Are you ready to go?” Alfred asked, clearing his throat. He held out his arm, waiting for Eleise to link her own in his.

With one more look at both her parents, she took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”

\-----

Though the church stood tall and able to house hundreds of members of the flock, the attendees were small in number, limited to just a few of her mother and father’s friends, Chief Tennyson and Margaret, her only female friend from work that took over the secretary position once she was promoted to officer. All of Spencer’s friends stood as members of the party, already at the front of the church so that all eyes could be on the woman Spencer had fallen head over heels for. Penelope, JJ and Emily were dressed in light purple dresses they all greatly preferred on the other side of the door. Here they were heavy with puffy sleeves and corsets and they could barely breathe, but Spencer was happy and that was all that mattered. Derek, Hotch, Rossi and Spencer were all decked out in the finest trousers, button-down shirts, shiny black shoes and long coats, topped off with top hats for good measure.

Before the music started, Spencer and Benjamin shared a look from across the church. Out of everyone here, only he could come close to understanding how Spencer felt in this moment. Pride, excitement, nervousness – it all rolled through him like clouds in a storm, but he didn’t have long to dwell on them as the processional music began and the doors opened.

Courted by her father, Eleise’s gown was bathed by light as she walked, her eyes already glistening as her father took in every detail on her face. Orange blossoms guided her path and studded the pews, but not enough to overwhelm the natural beauty of the church. Despite being the center of attention with all eyes on them, it was as if no one else existed but he and Eleise. “Do you give this woman to be married to this man?” Father Weston asked when they arrived at the altar.

“I do,” he said, a somber tone painting his otherwise happy demeanor. He brought Eleise’s hand toward Spencer’s and joined them. “Take care of each other.”

As the service truly began, Spencer whispered how beautiful she looked, still oblivious to the fact that anyone else existed in this space. Father Weston welcomed all the guests and thanked them for coming on behalf of the bride and groom before leading them all in prayer. While the members of the BAU stayed silent, Spencer repeated what prayers he knew for the sake of keeping up appearances for her parents.

Next, Father Weston read a timeless passage from Corinthians. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” As he spoke, Eleise saw her parents mouthing the same words, hands clutched tightly together. “It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

He wasn’t much for the Bible, but that passage had always held a special place in his heart.

“Spencer, please repeat after me.”

“I, Spencer Reid, take thee Eleise Griffiths, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death parts us.”

Eleise squeezed his hands tightly, barely able to hold herself together as she repeated the same vow. Before they exchanged rings, they’d asked to say a few words to each other before those gathered around them. With shaky hands, Eleise reached for the paper her mother had been holding. “Despite those around me asking why I hadn’t married yet, I knew the answer. I was waiting for the one that my soul loved. It took longer than I expected, but I would do it all again. I would wait a thousand lifetimes knowing that you were at the end of my path; that we would start our own. Spencer, there are no words that can adequately express the vow I give to you now – it is an ineffable part of myself that I place in your care without reservation or hesitation.”

Spencer cleared his throat and wiped a tear from Eleise’s cheek with the pad of his thumb before speaking. “I, too, endured many years of people wondering whether or not I would find the one that my soul loved, but I would also do it all again if it meant that I would meet you. In your eyes, I found my home. In your heart, I found my love. In your soul, I found my perfect other half. With you, I am whole. I pledge to listen and learn from your love, to hold you when you cannot stand, to devote myself to you and to our family, and to love you beyond my dying breath.”

Now in full sobbing mode, Eleise took a handkerchief from her father and blotted her tears away before they exchanged rings – simple bands engraved with their initials and their wedding date – something Spencer hoped would remain once they crossed the door’s threshold.

“Now, by the power vested in me by the Church of England, I pronounce you husband and wife. Spencer, you may kiss your bride.”

Memories of that Christmas kiss flooded her system again when Spencer pulled her close, the cheers of their guests flooding the walls of the church. Whatever the future held for them, together, they would face it head on.


	26. Chapter 26

Among the soft light streaming through the church windows and the applause of friends and family, Spencer and Eleise separated from each other for the first time as husband and wife, their first kiss lingering. For now and forever, they were in this life together. Eleise slipped her hand into Spencer’s, fingers intertwined as they made their way over to the vestry to write their names down as newly married members of the church. 

Unlike modern times, Victorian receptions were small and that was the way Eleise had wanted to keep it, inviting those in attendance to her family home for food and drink. Everyone from the BAU had brought in food so as to not leave the financial burden on Eleise’s parents. However, Eleanor had a grand time making the cakes with Alfred’s help. Maybe it was ‘just’ their daughter getting married, but they both felt young again, like back when they were courting.

“Do you have three cakes at the reception normally?” She asked her husband quietly. They received their guests at the front door and thanked each and every one for their attendance at their wedding and for the gifts they’d brought. 

Spencer leaned into his wife, nuzzling himself into the flower crown atop her head. “There’s usually a large cake and very occasionally a groom’s cake, but it’s not typical. Would you like to keep some of ours for another night?”

“Yes! Did you know that we keep pieces of our cakes for the 25th anniversary?”

Chuckling lightly, he explained that that probably wasn’t the healthiest thing, but that he had no objections to keeping it for their first anniversary. The entire affair went by in a blur. They received more gifts than they knew what to do with, enjoyed more food than Eleise had experienced in her whole life and barely registered anyone else but each other. Anyone in attendance could see that the two were made for each other, staring into each other’s eyes like they’d hung the moon. 

Little by little, the guests left the Griffiths’ household. Every member of the BAU left before the happy couple and brought a number of their wedding gifts back with them to leave in Spencer’s apartment. Unfortunately, all of them heading back at the same time would draw suspicion so they traveled home one by one until only Spencer, Eleise, Eleanor and Alfred remained. 

A silence unlike any other hung in the air. The lingering uncertainty they’d been avoiding for so long was now here. Spencer placed his hand on Eleise’s back, steadying her stance when she stepped toward her parents and embraced them as if it was her last. “I love you both so much,” she whispered. “I pray we’ll meet again.” To never see them again would be the worst kind of torture.

Spencer did too - for her sake and his own. 

Pulling back, Alfred cupped his daughter’s face in his hands, slightly calloused by years of hard work. “Listen, my darling. We will be okay here. Knowing that you are with the man you love with all your heart and soul is enough to give us peace. Enjoy each other. Love each other. And then one day, whether in this world or in heaven we will see you again.”

“We can stay here another night,” Spencer whispered. Anything to make this less difficult than it already was. If it weren’t for his mother, he probably would have stayed here for her sake (even though he’d be leaving the family he chose), but his mother depended on him and no matter how much he loved Eleise he couldn’t leave her at home alone.

Eleise cleared her throat and shook her head. “The longer I wait the harder it will be.” She leaned in to kiss their cheeks one finale time before grabbing Spencer’s hand. When she turned to leave, Spencer lingered, eyes misty and heart heavy with conflicted thoughts and unspoken words.

“I promise I will take care of her. She will want for nothing. And I will love her until the last breath leaves my lungs.”

Eleanor smiled softly, a tear falling down her cheek. “We know.”

Closing the door felt like putting the hammer to the nail, but at Eleise’s insistence they hurried toward the door and walked through, no looking back. Saying goodbye to the world she knew wasn’t the hard part. None of it really held any significance in the long run. It was her parents. The longer she stayed the more likely she was to run back into their arms. 

Instantly, she turned the nob back and saw nothing but the opposite end of Spencer’s apartment. “I will never see them again,” she sobbed, her head falling into her husband’s chest. “We will never see them again. What if they can never meet our children, Spencer!?” 

“Have faith,” he whispered.

Her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, crying until her throat was sore, her eyes were puffy and she’d fallen asleep where she fell. With a heavy heart, Spencer picked her up and placed her on the couch before searching around for a blanket to cover her and sit on the floor at her side.

How someone could be so happy and so devastated at the same time was astounding. He knew with every fiber that she loved him wholeheartedly. He couldn’t have imagined leaving his mother in that way. If nothing else, that proved what he meant to her.

All he wanted was to see her smile, but he knew better than anyone that it couldn’t be forced. As his eyes drifted close, head resting against the soft leather of the couch, he drew soft circles on the back of her palm. The life they dreamed would be theirs in time, as long as they had faith.

-

Sunlight streamed through the window the next morning, bathing them both in streaks of warmth that had left them during the night. The second the light hit her eyes Eleise woke with a start. “I fell asleep!” She exclaimed. “Spencer I’m so sorry.” 

He kissed her knuckles, knowing what she meant. “When you’re ready. I will wait.”

Sitting up, she kissed the top of his head wondering how she was going to make peace living without her parents.

“I think distractions might help,” he said softly. “There’s so much for you to learn here - from the most mundane to the most extraordinary. How about I make you some breakfast?”

“I’d like that.”

For the next week, Spencer made it his mission to distract his wife from thoughts of home. She found a love of Cocoa Puffs cereal, learned how to use the shower (which was more complicated than she’d imagined), went touring around the city and even shopping for an entirely new wardrobe – which she threw herself into. Knee-length skirts and pants galore. “Thank you, Spencer.”

“For what?”

“For everything. For distracting me. For loving me. All of it.”

Spencer wrapped his arms around her and brought her close, breathing in the scent of the plumeria shampoo they’d bought for her earlier in the week. “There’s no need to thank me. It’s just a natural part of me now.”

Eleise stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his, leaning into his body until she’d tripped him back into the wall. “Sorry,” she laughed. “I- do you think we-“

“Are you sure?”

He kissed her forehead and went to grab the gift he’d gotten her, a royal blue silk nightgown with matching robe. “It’s beautiful, Spencer,” she said, her cheeks blushing. 

In the commotion of leaving home and getting accustomed to life in future America, she hadn’t paid attention to consummating her marriage. If she’d married someone else he might’ve made her feel guilty about waiting, but Spencer wasn’t just any man. Slipping the silk over herself, she luxuriated in the feel and tried to get used to so much skin showing.

Leaving the bathroom, she turned off the light and cracked open the door to see Spencer waiting. “You look…beautiful,” he whispered, swallowing hard. 

She smiled at the praise even though she instinctively covered herself, the context making it feel different than it had before. 

Spencer wanted her more than almost anything in world, but he let her take the lead, pushing him back toward the bed until he fell backward and she collapsed into him. Since their first kiss, she’d imagined this moment and even though she’d worried early – about disappointing him or baring herself so earnestly - everything fell away as she got swept up in his gentle grasp.

-

Over the next few months, Eleise continued getting used to her new surroundings. Penelope had gotten in touch with her former associate for the best fake identity and papers that money could buy, so Eleise could ground herself in this new world. She had a driver’s license, applied to college for a graduate degree and even began training to hopefully join Spencer at the FBI one day. Even though she wanted to be a wife and mother, she hadn’t lost her professional drive either.

On occasion she’d grab the story of Benjamin Tennyson’s journey to find love and hold it in the hopes of the door returning, but it never did, no matter how long she stared at the empty spot in the living room. She missed them every day, but she was determined to build and live the life that she and Spencer dreamed of. 

After training one day, she found herself feeling ill. She’d probably overworked herself, but a new friend and fellow trainee, Scarlett, called Spencer at his desk to come and take her home. “She’s been throwing up for nearly 20 minutes.”

He rushed to the bathroom to find her glistening with sweat and barely able to move. “Let’s go home. I’ll call your coach, don’t worry.”

Spencer carried her to the car, kissing her forehead as he buckled her seatbelt. Honestly it was a miracle she hadn’t gotten sick sooner considering all the pathogens that didn’t exist in her time. “We’ll get you feeling better in no time.”

“I’m not sure,” she said. “Spencer, I think…I think I might be with child.”

“Really?” He asked, practically shrieking. His eyes lit up and Eleise laughed so hard she snorted. It had never happened to her before and Spencer was pretty sure it was the cutest thing he’d ever heard. “It’s possible. Definitely. We need a test!”

In record time, Spencer sped off to the drug store and back home, explaining to Eleise how she was supposed to take a test. “And this will tell me if I’m pregnant?” She asked in astonishment. Apparently with child wasn’t a common phrase anymore. Spencer’s time truly was a wondrous thing. 

“Yup, and if you are then we go to a doctor, who will have to look at you in a very intimate way, kind of like a midwife and they’ll use a machine on your stomach called an ultrasound and you’ll see a picture of the baby and- I need to stop myself, we don’t even know if you are yet.”

Eleise giggled as she emerged from the bathroom and jumped into Spencer’s arms. “Whenever we have children, you will make a wonderful father.”

“And you a wonderful mother.”

Five minutes stretched into an eternity, but it was worth that wait. “Look,” Spencer whispered.

“It says pregnant!” Eleise screamed. “We’re having a baby!”

-

Hours later, Eleise woke up to the sting of moonlight on her face and carefully removed herself from Spencer to close the blinds. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the little leather bound journal that started it all sitting on the side table next to her husband’s armchair. She wished her parents could see her now, becoming a mother and professional woman; being happy.

She strode across the hardwood floors and picked up the book. Something so small had changed her life in such a significant way. Closing her eyes, lost in the dream that had become her reality, she thanked Chief Tennyson for writing down his love story. If he hadn’t, she may never have found Spencer and now that she had him she couldn’t imagine losing him. 

“Eleise?” Spencer called from the bedroom.

“I’m here,” she replied. “The moon woke me up and now I’m watching it.”

With a smile, Spencer slipped off the mattress and wrapped the blanket around himself before joining his wife. He was tired, but watching the night sky with Eleise wasn’t something he wanted to miss out on. When he left the bedroom, the blanket dropped to the floor, catching Eleise’s attention. “Darling, are you okay?”

“Look.” 

In front of their couch stood a door that had appeared as if from nowhere.


End file.
